


Save My Soul

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Action, Angst, Bank Robbery, Bar Owner Castiel, Budding Romance, Castiel is not as he seems, Castiel will be ok, Character fear, Dean Saves The Day, Dean will be ok, Detective Dean Winchester, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hostage Situations, M/M, More tags as the story goes on, No MCD, Not a simple robbery, Survival, Thriller, Worried families, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2018-07-22 01:21:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7412914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the prompt: "Trapped in a bank during a robbery"</p><p>Due to remodeling, atm's are not working, so Dean is forced to go into an actual bank to do his business.  It's cutting into his monthly lunch with his brother, but he has a check to deposit, so he heads over to the bank.  There's an attractive man in a tan overcoat standing in line, so he goes to stand behind him.  They strike up an easy conversation and Dean even manages to score himself a date from it, but things don't always go so smoothly for him, and today is definitely not a good day.  When three men and a woman armed with assault rifles take the bank hostage, Dean knows the odds are against him, but it quickly become clear that money is not the only motive behind this bold move.  It's a race against time to keep people alive and eliminate their captors.  The clock's ticking...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ATM's are Down

**Author's Note:**

> So, yeah. I've been wanting to write this one for a couple of weeks now, and I finally finished the first chapter. 
> 
> The angst I mentioned in the tags is NOT what you might typically find in a fan fic. It's caused by the crisis they are thrust into. No one cheats or any of that kind of story line. That being said, I hope you like it. Enjoy!

[](http://s86.photobucket.com/user/thatwriterlady/media/Save%20My%20Soul_zpstlzt1oix.jpg.html)

“You have to be kidding.” This was the third atm Dean had stopped at but thanks to the bank doing a change of ownership and an overhaul, every atm in the area seemed to be temporarily out of service. So he would have to actually go _into_ a bank. He hated banks. Irritated, he pulled out his phone and texted his brother, who he was supposed to be meeting for their once a month lunch date.

Dean: Atm’s all over the damn city are down. I get fined if I use any other atm, by both the bank I’m using AND my own. Last time I got charged nearly ten dollars! So I’m stuck heading to the bank. I’m hoping the lines aren’t long but the only branch in town is on Wisteria and Grove, so I might be late getting to the restaurant. I wanted to let you know that I’m not standing you up, I just have to stop at the bank first. 

It didn’t take long before his brother was texting back.

Sam: It’s ok. I’m running just a little late myself. There was some guy running around downtown with a gun but they didn’t catch him. It was holding up traffic. I am in line now at the pharmacy to get Jess her prenatals. As soon as I leave here though I’ll head over and meet you. 

Dean: Sounds good. See you in a few.

Dean tucked his phone into his back pocket and made the trek back to his car. It was twelve blocks to the bank, across the downtown area. He hadn’t gotten a call about someone loose with a gun. At the very least he expected his captain to let him know. They must have the situation under control already, he decided. His assistance wasn’t needed. He drove through the Saturday traffic and parked in the first available, non-handicapped spot in the bank parking lot. After making sure his gun holster was hidden well beneath his jacket and flannel, he went inside. As a cop he carried 24/7, but in today’s society people tended to react before they stopped to consider _why_ he even had a gun. The bank was somewhat busy and he made his way over to the table with the little deposit and withdrawal slips. He had gotten into real estate at his brother’s suggestion and it was turning out to be quite lucrative, enough so that he was thinking of retiring by the time he turned forty and just living off the residual income that came from his various properties. It was just a huge pain in the ass when his tenants paid him by check, and it was an even bigger pain in the ass when he could not deposit the check at the nearest atm. Maybe it was time he talked to the bank about setting up a business account that tenants could directly deposit their rent into each month. It would save him having to go around to each building to collect it or wait for them to mail the payments to him. 

After filling out the slip he looked around for an available teller. The lines were moving slowly but at least they weren’t terribly long. There was an attractive man in an oversized trench coat standing in the shortest line, so Dean went to stand behind him. The lines, as he quickly realized, were moving more like molasses than he’d anticipated and more than once Dean found himself checking his watch. He was already ten minutes late and still had to drive back across town to meet his brother. With a heavy sigh he rolled his neck to get some of the kinks out.

“Tried to use an atm as well?” The man in front of him asked. Dean lifted his head and smirked.

“Yeah. You’d think they’d fix at least half of them before they take them all down. And this being the only bank they have in town, it’s a real pain.”

“Oh, I quite agree. I generally do my banking online but wouldn’t you know, _that’s_ down as well.” The man sighed heavily and moved up one as the lady at the front of the line left.

“I saw that, but since I don’t have the app and won’t be getting the app any time soon, I couldn’t just scan the check in. I wanted to stick it in the atm but…” Dean waved the check and deposit slip in his hand. “I couldn’t even do that. This is not how you run a bank.”

“I agree. I believe it’s time I start looking for a place with better regards for their customers.” The man said. Dean held out his hand in offering.

“I’m Dean.”

The man smiled as he shook it.

“Castiel.”

“Nice to meet you. You live here or next town over?” Dean asked.

“I have lived in town about two years now. The lower crime rate was very appealing when I was trying to decide where I wanted to live, as was the atmosphere and the people.” Castiel replied. Dean cocked his head and smiled.

“It’s a nice town. So what do you do?”

“I own the Huntsman Pub over on fifth.” Castiel replied. Dean was impressed.

“Really? I go in there most Fridays, after my shift is over. A couple of my buddies and I go there to relax and unwind. I’ve never seen you in there though. It’s usually Gabe tending bar when we’re there.”

Castiel smiled. “Gabe is my brother. I’m generally in the back doing paperwork. I try to run it as efficiently as possible so that I can afford the remodeling that I want to do. The city is after me to do updates to the electric and plumbing, but the place could use a fresh coat of paint and new shelves for the bottles as well. I’m trying to figure out the best way to go about getting all of that done without having to close the bar down for any length of time.”

“Yeah, I deal in real estate and two of the places I own are considered historical landmarks. The rules and stipulations that come with that as to what I am and am not allowed to change are ridiculous.” Dean sighed.

“Do you flip them?” Castiel asked.

“No, I own six apartment buildings. Mostly I rent them out to the university students.”

“Oh, that must be quite lucrative. I should look into that. Perhaps I would make more money to fix the bar up.” Castiel tapped at his chin thoughtfully. The line moved up one person. 

For a few more minutes they talked, discussing the ups and downs of running a business, and the different things they each had to deal with. Dean found the man easy to talk to and definitely easy on the eyes. Castiel looked rumpled with his trench coat about two sizes too big and his dark hair in disarray, but the clothing beneath was neatly pressed and he was clean shaven. He had the most beautiful blue eyes that Dean almost felt he could get lost in. It was an appealing thought to invite the man to dinner. He was incredibly attractive, nice, and smart. It wasn’t blatantly obvious whether the man was interested, but he was catching little things, like when he licked his lips as he listened to Castiel talking, he watched those blue eyes flicker to his mouth, or when he smiled, the man’s eyes dilated. It might not be obvious but Dean was damn good at reading people, and he knew Castiel was into him.

“If I’m out of place here, I apologize, but this has actually been a nicer trip to the bank than I expected, and I wanted to know if I could take you out to dinner some time.” He held his breath and waited to see how Castiel would react. Slowly one eyebrow lifted, the man seemed genuinely caught off guard by the question.

“You want to take _me_ out to dinner?” 

At least it wasn’t a no…

“Yeah, you’re nice, and easy to talk to.” Dean couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this nervous asking someone out. A soft, shy smile came over Castiel’s face and he looked down at the papers in his hand.

“Oh. It has been very nice talking with you as well. I…” He peered up at Dean through dark lashes that got the cop’s heart beating faster. “I would like that very much. When did you want to go out?”

So Dean _had_ been right! He smiled as his confidence returned in full.

“Well, my evenings are usually free, and unless I get called into work, I’m off on the weekends. Could I maybe take you out tonight? Or tomorrow?”

“My schedule is flexible since I’m really just managing and doing paperwork. I am available tonight. We could perhaps have dinner and then attend a bar that I don’t own?” Castiel’s joke at the end had Dean laughing. He pulled out a pen and wrote the man’s number down on the notepad that he kept in the pocket of his jacket.

“I can swing by, pick you up about seven. Wherever you want to eat, we’ll go.” Dean said.

“How about we kill two birds with one stone and go eat at the Lafayette Brewing Company? Good food, a wide variety of beers and ales.” Castiel suggested. Dean smiled.

“That’s a great idea.”

The lady in front of Castiel stepped up to the teller.

“Finally.” Dean grumbled. Castiel chuckled.

“I know.”

Dean took a moment to look around. The line behind them had grown long and there had to be close to fifty people in the place, not counting staff and security. He recognized one of the men on the security staff as off duty officer Andrew Gallagher. The kid was young but driven, and with a baby on the way he had taken on a second job so he’d have more money. His wife was experiencing a lot of complications and the medical bills after the insurance portion had been paid was expected to be extremely high. Dean knew this because a couple of the guys at work, Victor and Cole had set up a fund to raise money to cover the extra expenses for Andrew’s wife. So far, they had raised about $1,800, but the bill was already estimated to be closer to $10,000. Three times now Dean had donated to the fund, a $100 each time. He liked Andrew and his work ethic, and he worried about his wife Lydia. She was a sweet girl. The other guard was a tall, creepy looking guy that just gave Dean a bad vibe. Upon entering Andrew had smiled and nodded at Dean, but the tall guy, whose name tag read ‘Alistair’ had simply sneered. The cool autumn afternoon had people coming in dressed much the same way he was, with jeans and a jacket He snorted when he saw a girl of no more than eighteen or nineteen come walking in wearing a short dress and strappy sandals. Was she insane? It had to be barely sixty outside! He wasn’t the only one that noticed her either. Alistair was downright gawking at her as she walked up to the table and grabbed one of the slips. Andrew, to his credit, was not paying any special attention to her. He was busy watching everyone. She plopped her heavy bag down and began fishing around inside. If she was looking for a pen, there were several right there on the table. The girl’s purse shifted and fell on the floor, spilling part of her contents and she bent down to retrieve them, drawing the attention of everyone around her. Alistair was practically drooling. Even Andrew was looking, as though he were debating on helping her pick her things up. Maybe it was his cop instincts or maybe there really was something that off, but shortly after the girl in the short dress came in, a man in a light blue suit with a bowtie walked in. He wore a black version of the same trench coat Castiel was wearing. His hair was slicked back and there was something off about his face. Almost like he was wearing a mask... In front of him Castiel made a sound and Dean turned to look at him.

“Oh no…” He sounded frightened and as Dean turned back to look at the man he saw him pulling out not one but two assault rifles.

“Everybody on the floor! This is _not_ a drill!” He shouted. Alistair started and reached for his gun but gun shots rang out across the lobby and then he was falling to the floor unmoving. Andrew was pistol whipped by a second man that had come in behind the man with the assault rifles, and he’d been hit so hard that when he fell, he didn’t move. Dean prayed the man was not dead. 

“Get down!” Dean hissed at the people around them. Castiel was frozen but oddly enough, it did not seem to be with fear. He appeared to be on alert, watching the robbers carefully. As Dean suspected, the girl in the short dress was with the other two. The man in the black trench coat tossed her one of the rifles and she quickly moved to the far corner where she demanded everyone get down on their knees. Dean grabbed Castiel’s arm and the arm of the lady in line behind them and pulled them both down with him. The lady was sobbing and he could hear her praying in Spanish. Castiel was silent, watchful, and if he’d had more time to think about it, Dean might have found it unusual, but he was in cop mode now. One life for sure had already been lost. He wasn’t going to let another person get killed. 

A fourth man entered, pulling the bank doors shut. He fished the key ring off Alistair’s dead body and locked the doors. Dean calculated his odds. Three of the four were carrying automatic weapons. His own guns were no match for that kind of fire power. Taking them down alone was not an option. The man in the blue suit tossed off his overcoat, sending it flying across the room like a cape. He was giving instructions for everyone to hand over their cell phones. For once Dean was glad he only had his flip phone with him. His main phone he’d left in the car since it was almost dead when he texted his brother earlier. If they actually went through the phones they’d know he was a cop. The flip phone was a personal phone though, and he always deleted texts immediately. Slowly he fished it from his pocket. It too was dead. That was a good thing, actually. From the corner of his eye he noticed Castiel fiddling with his wrist. The man was wearing a watch but it only took Dean a moment to realize it wasn’t a watch at all. It was a Gear, a piece that made it so people could still reach you without having to tote your phone around. It also made it possible to contact emergency services.

“Put it on mute.” Dean whispered. Castiel gave a minute nod, his eyes never leaving their captors. Dean saw the screen light up before Castiel tugged his sleeve down over it. The man in the blue suit was moving amongst everyone, demanding things like jewelry, money, and patting down anyone he felt was lying about having a phone. A lady that had tried to hide hers inside her bra was cracked hard across the face with the butt of the rifle. Dean cringed as he heard her jaw break. He worried about his gun. If they patted him down, they’d find it. Castiel looked over at him, the nervousness he felt shining brightly in his eyes. Dean reached over and took the man’s hand.

“Aww, isn’t this fucking _adorable_.” The girl spat. Dean whipped his head around to find her standing in front of him, her rifle aimed directly at his head. Fuck, _he knew her_. She shoved his shoulder with the rifle. “Hand over your phone, queer.”

Dean had to bite his tongue to keep himself from responding with something that would surely get him shot. Instead, he pulled his flip phone out of the front breast pocket and tossed it into the growing pile a few feet away.

“Happy? I haven’t stepped into the twenty first century yet.” He growled.

The look of contempt on her face was terrifying when one was forced to look down the barrel of a fully loaded assault rifle. Dean’s chest hammered hard in his chest though he forced his expression to remain calm. The woman next to him sobbed harder, her breath hitching and it drew their captor’s attention.

“Shut up and hand over your phone!” She snarled.

“No comprendo!” The woman whimpered.

“What the fuck did you just say?” The girl jabbed the woman in the chest with the rifle making her cry out in fear.

“She doesn’t speak English. She told you she doesn’t understand what you’re saying. Let me translate, ok?” Dean held up his hands in a placating gesture. When the girl fell silent and he was sure she wasn’t going to hit him, he turned to the woman next him.

“Senora, darles su teléfono.”

She nodded and reached into her purse to pull it out. The girl snatched it from her hands and chucked it into the pile. 

“And thank you for your cooperation!” She moved on to Castiel who quickly handed his over. From there she was moving further down the line.

“Alrighty, folks! We’re going to line you all up there, under the counters. You will sit side by side and shut the fuck up until you’re given permission to speak.” The second man was saying. He was dressed in a tee shirt and ripped jeans, quite differently from the other two. It was actually quite clever, all of them dressing differently. Alone they wouldn’t draw any more attention than what they were aiming for, which was why they had all entered the bank separately. The girl was the distraction, the guy in the suit was the one in charge, and the one in the tee shirt and jeans was no doubt clean up. The fourth guy was dressed all in black with long, stringy black hair that hung in his face. Dean worried that no one was going to make it out of here alive. With Andrew down, he was the only cop in the building, and he was not nearly armed enough to take down four people. With any luck they’d take their money and get out. He was never that lucky.

Outside sirens began drawing closer. Blue suit stood up straighter, head cocked as he listened. The guy in the tee shirt ran to peek out the door.

“Fuck! It’s the cops!” 

Blue suit turned his angry glare on the people cowering on the floor.

“Which one of you bastards called the cops?” He demanded. Everyone remained silent. “Fine, don’t want to tell me? Then deal with the consequences. Raising his rifle he swung it in the direction of the people. There were cries of fear, tears, and muffled sobs. Everyone cringed back and Dean was struggling to remain calm. Castiel touched his arm and he looked over, finally seeing the terror in his eyes.

“You, come here.” Blue suit snapped at an older woman. She sobbed loudly as she got to her feet. He grabbed her harshly by the arm and yanked her across the lobby.

“Don’t want to tell me who called? Fine. You’re all expendable to me. I’m here for the money and a little fun. You don’t mean _shit_ to me.”

Before Dean could react, the man had pulled a pistol out of the jacket he was wearing and a shot was going off. The woman collapsed, dead. These people were insane. Every hostage in the room was fucked.


	2. Missed Lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam begins to worry when Dean doesn't show up for their lunch but when police cars start racing by, and when police vehicles go racing by, his gut tells him something is terribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go, chapter 2.

Sam had gotten a table by the window so he could enjoy the view while he and Dean had lunch. Dean still hadn’t arrived, and that was rather unusual. His brother was usually quite punctual and when he wasn’t, he texted to say how long the wait would be. Frowning, Sam pulled his phone out to check the last text, in case he had missed one, but no, he hadn’t. The last one was from Dean telling him he was heading to the bank. As he was tucking his phone back into his pocket a police car raced by, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Unusual for an early Saturday afternoon. Before he could think much of it, two more raced by. When a S.W.A.T. truck blew past, he got to his feet. There was a sinking feeling deep in his gut that something was very wrong. He pulled his phone out again and texted his brother.

Sam: Hey, everything ok? Things are going nuts at this end of town. Squad cars and S.W.A.T. just passed the restaurant. Did anyone contact you about it? 

He stood there staring at his phone, but he wasn’t getting anything in return. 

“Oh, shit!” He heard someone gasp. The soft murmur of conversation suddenly grew loud and excited. 

“What’s happening?” He asked the man at the next table who was on his phone. 

“Oh, there’s a hostage situation at a bank on the other side of town. No idea how many people are inside, but there were gunshots a little while ago,” the man replied. Sam didn’t even wait to hear more. He was out the door and racing across the parking lot to his car before the man was even finished. 

Traffic had come to a standstill, and Sam ended up parking his car a meager three blocks from the restaurant. Streets were blocked everywhere, so he ran it. As he wove through crowds of people, he pulled his phone out and called his wife.

“Sam! Are you hearing about what’s on the news? Has Dean told you anything about it?” she was asking before he could even say hello.

“Jess, I’m pretty sure Dean is inside that bank right now. He’s one of the hostages,” he replied. The choked sob on the other end of the line threatened to destroy what little sense of self control he was currently hanging on to.

“Are you sure?” 

“He went to the bank on the other side of town, and now he’s not responding to my texts. He never showed up either. I’m on my way there now. Traffic is ridiculous, so I had to park the car and run.” He could see a police blockade in the distance, and it made his blood run cold. “Fuck, there are cops everywhere.”

“Honey, be safe! Please let me know the moment you get word on Dean. I’ll call your parents,” she said.

“Thanks. I gotta go. Love you.” He didn’t wait for a response before disconnecting the call and shoving the phone back in his pocket. As he reached the barricade he slowed down. He spotted Rufus barking orders and headed straight for him.

“Rufus!”

The cop turned around at the sound of his voice. For a moment his eyes widened in surprise, and then he was making his way back to where Sam was standing on the other side of the yellow tape.

“What are you doing here, son? This isn’t safe.” 

“I think Dean’s inside.” Sam looked towards the bank, his heart almost seizing when he saw the hood of the Impala in one of the spots. “There’s Baby.” He pointed. Rufus cursed under his breath.

“Damn it, no wonder why he didn’t respond. He contact you from inside?”

“No. I bet they collected phones. Any idea of how many are inside?” Sam asked.

“Not yet. We don’t know how armed they are or what their demands are. Our negotiator called in but says the man he spoke to, he wasn’t making any sense. Made it sound like he’s playing a game, and that all of the people inside are expendable. I’m not even positive they just wanted money. This could really just be a glorified killing spree where they don’t care if they die in the end.” Rufus dropped his voice so no one else would hear that. He’d known Sam is whole life, and he knew he could trust him to keep quiet. Sam looked up at the bank, running his fingers through his hair.

“But my brother is in there, and I’m positive he’s armed.”

Rufus shook his head. “He is. Ain’t never known that boy to go anywhere without something on him, but if they outnumber him by too much or are armed with assault weapons, he’s not going to risk blowing his cover and endangering the lives of the rest of the hostages.”

“This is like that stupid movie Dean likes so much,” Sam muttered. Rufus turned back to look at him.

“And what movie is that?”

“The Purge. The whole premise is that for twelve hours, all crime is legal, from murder to bank robberies, to rape, and anything else you can possibly think of. It shows the depraved side of society. It’s a very disturbing film,” Sam replied.

“I’m not familiar with that one.” 

“Well, my brother is. We went to the theater to see it when it came out and if I’m thinking along these lines, I’m sure my brother is too. He’s going to do whatever he can to protect those people,” Sam said. He looked at all of the people milling about. A man a few feet away was arguing with one of the officers, and Sam was catching snippets of the conversation.

“-Inside! And I can _hear them_! Here, just listen! It’s on mute so they can’t hear you!”

Sam patted Rufus’ arm. “Hey, you might want to listen to that guy.” Rufus made his way down to the man and Sam followed.

“What’s going on here?” Rufus demanded. The cop backed off as the frantic man turned to him. There was a phone in his hand, and he thrust it in Rufus’ direction.

“My brother is inside! He called me, and I can hear what’s going on!”

Rufus took the phone and put it to his ear. His eyes widened.

“We got a line in, people!” Everyone around them fell silent. “What’s your brother’s name?” 

“Castiel. I think he’s using that watch thing he has and not his phone. He texted me earlier, but it was one of those automatic texts. It just said ‘I’m ok.’” the man replied.

“Come over here. I don’t want the media getting wind of this.” Rufus held up the tape, and the man ducked under it. He jerked his head, telling Sam to come too. Sam offered the man his hand.

“I’m Sam. My brother, Dean, is in there too. He’s an off duty detective.” 

“Gabe. Wait, did you say Dean? I heard my brother talking to someone, and I swear he used the name Dean.”

Sam and Gabe followed Rufus to an area away from where the media were already gathered. 

“I hear at least two men.” Rufus still had the phone to his ear. 

“It’s on mute, right? So they can’t hear this chaos out here.” Sam asked. Gabe nodded.

“Yeah, that’s the first thing I did once I realized my brother was in trouble. Then I jumped in my car and headed straight here.” He chewed on his fingernails nervously as he watched Rufus with his phone.

Suddenly Rufus growled and pulled the phone away from his ear.

“The call dropped. Someone, a man, was separating the men from the women. This ain’t good.”

“Text him,” Sam urged.

“He can only send pre-made texts, but he can receive texts. Ask him how many there are.” Gabe said. 

“Ok, you do it.” Rufus handed Gabe the phone, and he immediately sent out the text.

Gabe: Cassie, how many are there? Send the same text over and over for each one.

Now all they could do was wait. It was a good fifteen minutes before his phone chimed with the responses.

Cas: I’m in a meeting

Cas: I’m in a meeting

Cas: I’m in a meeting

Cas: What’s the number?

Gabe was puzzled by the change for the last response.

“Uh, there are four, but he changed the question for the last one.”

Sam leaned over to see the screen. He was trying to decipher what it meant when it suddenly hit him.

“One of them is a woman!”

Gabe texted his brother back.

Gabe: Is one of them a woman?

Castiel immediately replied.

Cas: What’s the number?

Gabe wanted to cheer. It was a bizarre way to communicate, but at least he could talk to his brother at all.

Gabe: Cassie, respond with What’s the number for yes and I’m in a meeting for no. Are you ok?

Cas: What’s the number?

Gabe let out a choked sob. 

“He’s ok!”

Gabe: Is Dean with you?

Cas: What’s the number?

“Dean’s with him!”

“Ask him if Dean’s carrying,” Rufus said. Gabe nodded and messaged his brother again.

Gabe: Is Dean currently armed?

Cas: What’s the number?

“Yeah, he’s armed,” Gabe said.

“Can he take them down?” Rufus asked.

Gabe: Can Dean take them down with what he’s carrying?

Cas: I’m in a meeting.

Gabe frowned. “No, he can’t.”

“See if you can find out what they’re armed with.” Sam was hovering over his shoulder, reading each message as he tried not to bite all his nails off.

“Yeah, ok.” Gabe nodded and started typing again.

Gabe: Hey, are they armed with something bigger than handguns?

Cas: What’s the number?

Gabe: Are they carrying automatic weapons?

Cas: What’s the number?

“Fuck! They have assault rifles!” Sam gasped. Rufus cursed under his breath before barking orders at some of his men.

“They’re really in danger, aren’t they, and Dean can’t save them.” Gabe uttered the words out loud, wishing it were not true.

“If my brother has it within his power to stop them, he will. Have faith. He’s a good cop.” Sam placed a hand on the man’s shoulder and squeezed lightly.

“Faith?” Gabe laughed. “If only you understood the irony in that,” he said bitterly. “I got my brother into this. It’s all my fault.” 

“How is that even possible? This is not his fault, or Dean’s. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now we just have to pray my brother can take them down.” Sam refused to give up on Dean. If anyone could save the people inside that bank, it was his brother. His phone rang, so he pulled it out. It was Jess.

“Hey, baby.” He sighed as he answered the call.

“Any news? I’m not getting much from the live report, it’s all being blown so far out of proportion I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not,” she asked. He could hear the worry in her voice.

“Not from inside, but we sort of have a way to talk to someone that is with Dean right now. We know how many are inside and what weapons they have. What we don’t know is how they plan to stop these bastards.” 

“Oh God, Dean…” Her voice wavered, and he knew she was crying. 

“Please, honey, don’t. I’m barely holding it together. Can you call your mom to come and stay with you? Because I’m not leaving here til I know my brother is safe.”

“Yeah, of course. I should come down there…”

“No!” It came out as a yelp, drawing the attention of everyone around them. He quickly dropped his voice. “They have assault rifles. If they come out shooting, they could hit the people out here. You stay put where you’re safe.”

“Be safe, Sam, please. Don’t try to be a hero,” she begged. 

“Being the hero is Dean’s job. I was always the trusty sidekick. This time though, I’m counting on the police to handle this and get everyone out safely. I promise I’ll stay right where I am. Call your mother. I’ll be in touch,” he told her.

“Alright. I love you,” she said.

“I love you too.” He hung up and stuck the phone back in his pocket.

“Wife?” Gabe asked.

Sam nodded as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“Yes, and she’s pregnant and worried sick about Dean. So am I though. My brother’s tough, but I can see why he isn’t shooting. He’d get one shot off before they pumped him full of lead, and probably shot your brother too in the process. My brother will do everything in his power to protect the people inside. He’s a good man.”

Gabe was chewing his nails as they watched Rufus giving orders. He was sending men up onto the roof of the parking garage across the street, and Sam knew they were snipers.

“Shit.” He could see them lining up, aiming at the windows. Gabe followed his gaze.

“Are those snipers?”

“Yes,” Sam replied. Gabe quickly typed a message to his brother.

Gabe: Snipers on the roof, east corner. You need stay down. Are you safe right now?

His brother wasn’t texting back, and it was making him nervous.

“He’s not answering.” 

“He might not be able to.” Sam turned his attention back to Rufus.

“I just want everyone to be safe,” Gabe murmured. To Sam’s surprise the man suddenly dropped to his knees. He shoved his phone in his pocket before clasping his hands together. It was prayers being recited, though Sam didn’t know in what language the man was speaking them. Still, a little prayer never hurt anyone, and he found himself sending up silent ones of his own. He was basically pleading with God to let his brother and the others get out safely.

Somewhere inside the bank more gunshots rang out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all are still enjoying this story. Sam of course knows all of the police because of Dean. Next chapter will be back inside the bank with Dean and Castiel.


	3. Recognition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean realizes he knows one of their captors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so here is your new chapter update. I should be able to get one more put up, but at this point things are not looking very good. The bank fees are beginning to get tacked on, and at this point I don't even have enough for the rent next month, let alone utilities and internet. Or food. We're down to eating one meal a day to make the food stretch so we aren't starving next month. Internet will get cut off as of the 4th if I can't pay it. My mother's behavior is becoming more erratic and lately she has not been able to be left alone at all. It's a lot of stress right now, and I'm mentally and physically exhausted. Writing is my escape. I'm in a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' type scenario right now, and it's driving me nuts. I'm going to continue applying to places where I can work from home. Until something gives and either Medicare/caid figures out that she's not all up there. Oh, and the kicker? I sent an email out to the nursing homes in my county and I got one back a few days later telling me that none of them have the capacity to care for my mother. Wtf? How does a NURSING HOME NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO CARE FOR SOMEONE?! It's frustrating and I have a migraine from all of the stress. 
> 
> I throw myself into my writing as my escape, so I hope you enjoy this story and whatever others I may put up before the 4th rolls around.

Dean was wracking his brain, trying to find a way out of this mess. Still, no one had stepped forward to admit they had called the police. Blue suit was looking around at everyone again as if he could pick out the person simply by doing that. The hostages had all been lined up under the counter and along one wall. Castiel was wedged up against him on one side and on the other was the lady who didn’t speak English.

“¿Estas bien?” He whispered to her. She looked up at him, the misery and terror she felt nearly palpable. Still, she gave a short nod. He looked over at Castiel, who was sitting with his hands tucked between his legs, no doubt trying to hide his watch since their captors were back to demanding all valuables be handed over. Dean’s hand instinctively brushed over the silver band on his right, ring finger. His father’s wedding band. The man had been dead close to ten years now. As subtly as he could, he slipped the ring off and tucked it inside his underwear. He knew Castiel was watching him curiously, but he wasn’t going to lose that ring. The man dressed in all black was approaching them. Castiel squeezed closer and Dean put an arm around his shoulders. It was terrifying to be threatened like this and when the man reached them, he pointed his gun right in Castiel’s face.

“Money, jewelry, hand it over now.” 

Castiel took a necklace off and handed that over along with his wallet.

“I don’t have anything else.” 

The man grabbed Castiel’s hand and shoved his sleeve up. Dean said nothing when he noticed the man’s wrist was bare. Not seeing anything, he dropped Castiel’s arm and turned to Dean. He had already removed everything that identified him as a cop from his wallet and shoved that all down under the waistband of his boxer briefs too. He handed the cash and the wallet over before pulling off the chain that hung around his neck. A pendant his brother had given him when they were kids. He hated to give it up, it had infinite sentimental value, but he would rather give that up than his father’s ring.

“It’s worthless, just a gumball charm,” he said.

“Did I ask for your opinion?” The man snapped as he yanked it out of Dean’s hands. He moved on to the lady on Dean’s left. She was observant and knew what was expected of her, even though she had handed her things over already. 

“I already got them,” the girl called out. 

The man grunted and returned to his position in the corner where he went back to standing guard. Someone had pulled the tellers out from behind the counter and they were on the floor, cowering with the rest of the hostages. Somewhere a phone was ringing, and it wasn’t a cell phone. Blue suit disappeared from sight and a few seconds later the ringing stopped. Castiel shifted just enough so that he could look up at Dean.

“This does not bode well. They have no respect for human life,” he whispered. Dean frowned.

“Yeah, I already concluded that when they shot her in cold blood.” His eyes went to the dead woman lying face down a few feet away. It made him shudder thinking people could be that cruel.

“They’re not going to negotiate. This is a thrill for them. If they aren’t stopped they’re going to kill everyone in this room.” 

Castiel frowned. “I hid my watch. I don’t know if it was mine that called for help. I’m thinking it’s more likely a silent alarm hit by one of the tellers.”

Dean nodded. He was trying to calculate his odds of being able to take out the three still in the room. Logically, the girl would be the easiest to overtake, but the guy in the tee shirt and jeans wasn’t wandering far from her, so to take her out would mean that it would be necessary to take him out too, and then there was the guy dressed all in black. There was something off about him and Dean had no illusions that the man was sane. 

Across the room Andrew stirred. Dean wanted to sob with relief. He wasn’t dead! He just hoped the man had enough wits about him to know to lie still. The longer he could pull off looking like he was unconscious, the better. One of the gunmen had stripped the guns from both Andrew and Alistair shortly after they had taken over. There was a chance Andrew had an ankle holster like he did, but it wasn’t going to do them a whole lot of good.

Blue suit came back, a smug smile on his face. He wasn’t wearing a mask but he was wearing something on his face that warped his features. It was strange, like nothing Dean had ever seen before. He’d noticed it on the guy in black and the one in the tee shirt. The girl seemed to have something on her face too, but he had recognized her. She had a scar across one cheek, and her voice was very familiar. Dean had spent the better part of thirteen hours interrogating her just last year on another robbery case. Seeing her here now, he knew he’d been right to think she’d been lying about that case. She’d been defending her brother, giving him an alibi. Now that Dean thought about it, she’d been defending not only her brother but his two friends. If he could just remember her name…

When she glanced in his direction he dropped his eyes. It was bad enough that he recognized her, but he was screwed if she recognized him. Castiel nudged him so he turned to look at him.

“You look like you saw a ghost,” he whispered. And wasn’t that the kicker? Dean’s smile was humorless.

“I did.”

“You know one of them?” Castiel asked. Dean gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Sort of. I know her.” 

Castiel looked at the girl who was busy counting out money and going through the jewelry she had collected.

“Ex?”

Dean nearly laughed out loud. “Hell no. From work.” He looked deep into Castiel’s blue eyes. “I’m a cop. I interrogated her last year. I’m trying to remember her name.”

“It’s Ruby,” Castiel whispered.

“How do you know that?” Dean wanted to know how the man knew her name. It clicked the moment he’d said it, so it was definitely her name, but how did Castiel know that?

The man nodded at the woman’s leg. “Vanity. She tattooed her name into her skin.”

Dean looked, and sure enough, there was the tattoo. He remembered seeing it before. It was the girl’s name with realistic looking butterflies swirling up her thigh and around the delicately drawn image of her name. It had been one of the first things he had noticed about her when they’d first brought her in. She’d been wearing a crop top and cut off shorts that showed miles of skin, and several tattoos. The butterflies had caught his attention, as had her name. The dress was barely covering it and when she lifted her rifle it rode up enough to reveal the butterflies and the name. Now he knew her name. Ruby Masters, younger sister to Meg Masters and half sister to _Luke Cane_ , better known as Lucifer. Fuck. He took a good look at Blue Suit. The edge of a tattoo peeked over the collar of his shirt. Luke Cane was the only person Dean had ever heard of with a tattoo of _Lucifer_ on him. It was in his prison records, which Dean had studied in depth. This was a much worse situation than he had first thought. The guy in the tee shirt and jeans was starting to grab the women up off the floor.

“We’re going to be doing a little rearranging, people. All the women, move your asses over there,” Luke instructed. He pointed to the windows. Fuck, if the sharp shooters weren’t careful, they could hit one of them. He realized Luke probably knew this already. The men were all directed to sit under the the counters, so they were left facing the women who were clear on the other side of the room. They outnumbered the men by at least two to one.

“My brother texted me. I think the call dropped,” Castiel whispered. Dean looked down, wondering where the guy even had the watch that he knew he’d received a text.

“What did he say?” Dean whispered back.

“He wants to know how many. I can only send out pre-arranged texts. How do I tell him?”

Dean thought for a moment. “Send out three of your texts, but choose a different one for the fourth. Hopefully he figures out that we’re telling him it’s three men and a woman.”

Castiel nodded and sent the texts out. For the next few minutes he was busy trying to message his brother as discreetly as possible. Dean was busy watching Luke like a hawk. He was giving instructions to the man dressed in black who gave a curt nod and left to head to the back. Luke was back to looking everyone over. Dean had only seen Luke through two way glass or in mugshots, so there was no possible way the man would know who he was, but he still had that fear of of being recognized. Ruby was the one he really had to worry about. His head was starting to hurt. He drew his legs up and balanced his elbows on his knees once he was sure his pants had not ridden up to reveal his ankle holster. Castiel had pulled his own legs up to his chest, and he was hugging them as they watched their captors. Money had been bagged, and as they watched the man in black and the one in jeans carried the bags all up.

“How do you expect to get out of here with that? They won’t let you out.” A man in a brown suit was asking There was a name tag on his chest and Dean assumed he was the manager.

“Oh, we’ll get out of here. Can’t say the same for you though,” Luke mused. The manager shrank back at the threat. Dean watched the entire interaction with a sinking feeling that was growing in his gut. 

“Can you fire a gun?” He leaned close to Castiel and whispered the words against the shell of his ear. To anyone else it would seem like a simple, innocent gesture. 

“No, but I’m…trained in hand to hand combat. I can handle myself.”

Dean leaned his head on Castiel’s shoulder. Hand to hand was pointless unless they got the guns away from Luke and the others.

“That won’t work. They’ll shoot you. That’s why I haven’t pulled a gun yet. I don’t want to risk any lives.”

Castiel leaned a bit so he could whisper back without anyone hearing them.

“I won’t let them hurt you.”

Dean sat back and looked at him. There was a fierce look of determination on the bar owner’s face that left him feeling puzzled. Castiel wasn’t going to let the perpetrators _hurt him_? Before he could determine what the man meant by that, one of the assholes with guns was yanking a young man to his feet. The poor guy looked terrified.

“So it would seem there are snipers on the roof of the parking garage across the street, and cops waiting out front for us. I’m not really in the mood to have a heartfelt conversation about what I want. I know full well that they have no intentions of letting us out of here alive. The thing is, I knew that coming in here, and I sure as hell didn’t choose this bank randomly. I need the cops to back off, and since they don’t want to, I’m going to have to send them a little message.” The false sympathy dripping from Luke’s voice left Dean cold. He looked around and saw Ruby as well as the other two gunmen standing there, waiting. They weren’t stupid enough to put their backs to the hostages. It got Dean wondering, how were they so damn aware? 

Luke grabbed the young guy and dragged him over to the doors. As everyone watched, Ruby unlocked the door and opened it just enough so that the young man could be shoved outside. Without a word, Luke put the gun to the back of the man’s head and pulled the trigger. The door was slammed before the police outside could react. Dean jerked, ready to pull his guns, but Castiel placed a hand over his, stilling him. When he looked over at the man, Castiel shook his head. For some reason he trusted this man, and he knew that he was right. If he pulled a gun out now he’d be dead before he got a single shot off, but so would all of the people sitting around him. In the back a phone began to ring again.

“Oh, that’s for me!” Luke said cheerfully before leaving the room. Dean closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had never experienced a situation like this, and he never wanted to again. A warm arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer. He didn’t bother resisting. This was a nightmare. One he was clueless about how to escape from.


	4. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the shock of seeing a man shot, Sam and Gabe are forced down to the ground where Sam is left to try and calm Gabe who is in shock. In doing so he learns some interesting things about the man, about Castiel and about Dean. It's not what Sam wanted to hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is going to be the last chapter for a while. For how long, I have no idea. I have not raised enough money to pay the rent, let alone the internet bill, so as of August 1st they are shutting off my internet. We're also going to have to start packing soon. This was not how I expected this summer to go. I can negotiate with the light company, and I can "try" to negotiate with the internet, but I'm not holding my breath since I'm perpetually a month behind as it is (important bills get paid first, THEN internet). I'm stressed out, tired, and just so totally done with everything. Seriously.
> 
> This weekend is the last bit of any fun I will be having for a long time. Thanks to wonderful SPN fans I got a free ride to and from DestielCon, and was offered a room to share with another wonderful fan. My daughter's friend paid for her entry and mine into the con. I am on 2 panels and she didn't want me to miss them. Without such wonderful generosity, I would not be here. I'd be at home stressing myself out and making myself sick. I needed this little break. I don't even have enough to eat while we're here, really, so we brought poptarts. I'm trying to enjoy myself, waiting now for the wonderful lady we'll be sharing a room with to arrive, but I promised this chapter, and so here it is. If I disappear for a few months (maybe longer), you'll understand why. Bills are piling up and there just is not any money to pay them. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter. At some point there will be more chapters, but at this time I can't for sure say when I'll be able to post them. For those that have stuck by me and read what I write, I love you all, and thank you. You make all of this so much more worthwhile than I ever thought possible.

Gabe and Sam were left speechless.  There was absolutely no words that would adequately describe how they felt at hearing the gunshot and seeing the man fall dead to the ground.  Rufus had immediately ordered them to get down, and Gabe had immediately gone into shock.  Sam had grabbed his arm and pulled him down, and that was where they were now; Sam crouching and peering around a police car at the dead man on the ground while Gabe stared numbly at the cement beneath him from where he sat on his knees.  He looked so lost that Sam was genuinely worried about him.

 

“Hey, hey, it wasn’t our brothers.”  He placed a hand on Gabe’s shoulder and gently shook him but the man wasn’t looking up.  “Come on, look at me.”

 

Slowly Gabe blinked and raised his head.  Haunted amber eyes met Sam’s concerned hazel ones.

 

“Cassie’s in mortal danger in there.”

 

Sam pursed his lips and swallowed hard.  Nothing like putting words to his worst fear.

 

“They’re all in danger.  Even my brother.”

 

Gabe shook his head.  “No, you don’t understand.  My brother…”  He scrubbed his hands down his face.  The look in his eyes was haunted.

 

“Your brother…”  Sam waved with his hand, hoping the man would finish that sentence.  Gabe suddenly lunged at him, grabbing the front of his shirt.

 

“He’s not  _ human _!” 

 

Well, ok, then.  One eyebrow slowly slid upwards, against Sam’s will.  Either this guy was a complete and utter nutcase or he was so deep in shock he was delusional.  Sam was not a psychiatrist and didn’t know what the symptoms were for someone suffering from delusions and he was loathe to pass judgment on someone he didn’t know.

 

“Um, what  _ exactly _ do you mean by that?”

 

Gabe groaned in frustration and rolled his eyes.  “You wouldn’t understand.  Humans never have an open enough mind to comprehend.  It’s why we don’t tell them.”

 

Sam was beyond confused.  “Why don’t you try me.  I’m a lot more open minded than my brother.”  He said softly.  Gabe eyed him for a moment.  The man certainly didn’t  _ seem _ delusional.  On the contrary, he seemed to be in complete control of his faculties.

 

“Open minded.  What are your religious beliefs?”

 

Sam shrugged.  “Like church and stuff?  I was raised Protestant but I haven’t attended church in years.”

 

Gabe shook his head.  “Church and denomination are irrelevant.  They’re a construction of human culture.  What are your  _ beliefs. _ ”

 

Sam thought for a moment.  What exactly was Gabe asking of him?

 

“Are you asking me if I believe in God?”

 

“Do you?”  Gabe pressed.

 

“Well, yeah.”  

 

“And do you pray?”  Gabe asked.

 

“Sure, all the time.”  

 

Gabe seemed to consider his words for a moment.  “What would you say if I told you that your prayers do not go directly to God, but to the angels?  That they are the ones to filter them and bring the important ones to Him.  And that it has been hundreds of years since one of those prayers has reached the Host?  Prayers, they don’t hold the weight that they once did.  Mine are not reaching him, even when I speak the language of the angels.  They’re listening, but they’re indifferent, the bastards.”  He shook his head sadly.  “Nothing happens by chance, Sam.  Not this, not anything.  If my brother is in there, and your brother is in there, and they are together, it is for a reason.  The divine guidance has come into play again, and this time I could lose my brother for good.  I can’t…”  He sniffled and wiped at his eyes.  “I can’t do this without him.”

 

“Do what exactly?  I’m really not understanding.  Help me to understand.”  Sam pleaded softly.  

 

“I can’t do this... _ living _ .  It’s so hard.  I wasn’t always mortal.  I screwed up and was punished, as was my brother.  He still has some of his grace.  Not much, not enough to save himself and everyone inside that bank.  At most, he could save maybe one or two people, and then he’d be screwed, just like me.  And he needs to find the soul he bonded with so many years ago.  Their paths keep crossing and it always ends in tragedy.  If he’s in there now, so is that soul.  And he’s going to lose it again.”  There were tears in Gabe’s eyes.  It was heartbreaking to witness.  Sam was still trying to make sense of what Gabe was saying.

 

“A-are you telling me...you’re an angel?”

 

Gabe’s laugh was sad and bitter.  “Not am.   _ Was _ .  And I don’t expect you to believe it.  No one ever does.  My heart aches for my brother.”  He side eyed Sam before sighing and looking back at the bank.  The dead man’s body had been moved but he could see blood on the concrete outside the door.  “You’re probably trying to decide what mental illness that I might have.  It would be easier to assume that I am insane than to risk believing that I might be telling the truth.  This is why He no longer hears prayers.  Humankind is so full of selfish greed that God is saddened by it.  My link to the host was severed the moment I removed my grace.”

 

“So you’re telling me you’re a fallen angel.”  Sam was a man of faith, despite not having stepped into a church in the last ten years for anything other than a Christmas service, and something niggled at the back of his mind.  Something that told him Gabe was telling the truth.

 

“Yes, Sam.  That’s exactly what I am telling you.”  Gabe sighed.

 

Sam chewed thoughtfully on his lower lip for a moment.  “Let’s say I believe you.  How exactly does an angel fall from grace?”

 

It was Gabe’s turn to cock an eyebrow.  “There are many ways.  How I fell is not how my brother fell.  I took pity on someone that was marked for eternal punishment and hid them from the angels.  It was a mistake for which I have never felt guilty.  When they were found, they were punished in other ways.  I was stripped of my grace and forced to live a human life.  I will age, I will die, and then I will face judgment  _ again _ for my discretions.  My... _ soul _ will be weighed, and if it is found wanting, I take the express elevator south.  I try to live a righteous life.  I do good, I help people every chance I get, I don’t lie, I don’t cheat, and I continue to pray, not only for myself but for mankind.  I have no illusions that I will ever earn back my wings.  But I wish to please my Father enough to tolerate my presence once again in heaven.”

 

“And your brother?  He’s a fallen angel too?”  Sam glanced nervously around, hoping no one else heard their conversation.  Thankfully Rufus was talking a good twenty feet away to some of his men, barking orders at them.  Gabe sighed and dropped his head.

 

“Yes, though he was not stripped of his grace as I was.  His crime was…”  He shook his head.  “He pulled someone very important out of hell.  Someone whose destiny was never to end up there.  It was not his task to do, but he heard the order and went.”

 

“I would think he’d be praised for being preemptive and taking initiative.  Were the angels not pleased?  Was  _ God _ not pleased?”  Sam asked.  Another bitter laugh rumbled up from the other man’s chest.

 

“Oh, he was.  He’d gained favor with our Father, something that is not easy to do.  It’s what he did  _ after _ he pulled that person out that put him on a blacklist of sorts.”  

 

“What did he do?”  Sam was still skeptical, but he’d always been a curious bastard.  Now was no different.

 

“He fell in love with the Righteous Man.”  Gabe replied so simply that Sam thought he had misheard.

 

“Wait….he fell in love with the guy he raised from hell?”

 

“Yes, and that wouldn’t have been so bad if the son of a bitch hadn’t fallen in love right back.  See, God has a wicked and twisted sense of humor.  Every now and then he likes to shake things up.  When the war in heaven started, he stepped back.  Just sort of...took a vacation for a while, and he hasn’t come back.  Prophecies were made that we, the angels, were expected to uphold and bring to fruition.”  Gabe was explaining.

 

“Prophecies, like the virgin Mary?”  Sam asked.  Gabe nodded.

 

“Like that, but different.  I’m not going to get into the matters of the bible.  It’s pointless, but there were certain prophecies that had to happen in order to end the war in heaven.  My brother Lucifer was supposed to come up and fight my brother Michael for no other reason than for our Father’s entertainment.  But the battle was meant to take place here, on earth.  In order to do that they needed human vessels.  Brothers.  The Righteous man and his brother were destined to be those vessels.  It was always meant to be that way.  Except Cassie went and fucked that all up.  He fell in love with the one man all angels were warned not to influence, and when Michael came to his vessel, he was denied entrance.  The Righteous Man told him no.  An angel needs permission to enter a vessel, and because of his love for my brother, he told Michael no.  God was not around to be angry, but the angels that were fighting one another for control?  They got pissed.  Castiel was supposed to be thrown in prison for the rest of eternity, but he took his lover and they fled.  Unfortunately they didn’t get very far before tragedy struck.  The Righteous Man died and my brother was absolutely devastated.  It becomes ironic from there though.  See, human souls are...recycled, if you will.  Not all of them, but most.  Some that have lived many lifetimes, they are given a reprieve and their own special place in heaven.  Others that still have lessons to learn or tasks to complete, they are sent back.  The Righteous Man is one of those souls.  He has a task to complete that he has refused lifetime after lifetime.  Every life he enters into, fate inevitably draws him to my brother.  That same fate also ends in the death of the Righteous Man.  Sometimes he dies as soon as they meet.  Sometimes they get a lifetime together.  Every single time, he refuses Michael.  It’s like some cosmic joke that only my Father knows the punchline to, and all it does is break my brother’s heart over and over again.  If he’s in there now, so is the Righteous Man.”  Gabe eyed him for a moment.  “Sam, is Dean your older brother?”

 

Sam nodded.  “Yeah, why?”

 

Gabe seemed to deflate at that.  “I-I think your brother is the Righteous Man.”

 

Sam stared hard at him for a minute before turning his gaze on the bank.  The story was fantastic and unbelievable yet somehow, he knew it was true.  It felt like a memory, as though they’d had a similar conversation in the past, but not just one time.  Everything Gabe was saying felt so incredibly familiar, and instinctively he knew there was more to it than just what Gabe was saying right now.  He came into this somehow as well, so he asked the question niggling at the back of his mine.

 

“If my brother is the Righteous Man, what does that make me?”

 

“I’m not sure if you’re ready to hear that part.”  Gabe shook his head.  “No, you really aren’t.”

 

Sam’s jaw clenched and he took a deep breath as he attempted to calm himself.

 

“I know it’s bad.  I think…”  He sucked his lower lip into his mouth as he struggled to remember.  “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

 

The look of sadness on Gabe’s face told him everything the man wasn’t saying.

 

“Something about balance, right?  Light versus dark.  If he’s the Righteous Man that would make me…”

 

“Lucifer’s vessel.  But only if you say yes.  The irony of it all?  The Righteous Man is flawed, imperfect, but inherently good.  His soul shines brighter than any other in all of God’s creations.  It is this alone that makes many angels hate him.  He represents everything that is good and holy, and Michael covets him.  To accept Michael and give him permission to enter him, it will trigger what your bible calls the apocalypse.  A war on earth unlike any that has ever taken place before.  It will last for a thousand years and whoever loses, their soul will be destroyed.  Brother against brother, and one will die.  I side with my brother Castiel.  I think the war is bullshit.  There is no reason for it, and God doesn’t even care about it any more, but the angels feel that because it was written into prophecy, it absolutely has to take place.  They don’t believe that God said the war was not necessary before he left.  They didn’t believe me.”

 

Bits of memories, things Sam couldn’t possibly know were coming back.  He had said yes to Lucifer in the past.  And not just once.  It had happened time and again.  Was he really so weak that he could not say no?

 

“I won’t this time.  I refuse to say yes.  And I sure as hell know my brother won’t say yes.”  He was sure of that.  

 

“But you do.  You always do.  It is your brother that denies time and again.  I think this makes the fortieth incarnation?  Sometimes he gets a tiny reprieve in heaven, mostly to keep him out of my brother’s arms, but eventually he is sent back.  Cassie, he can’t see the soul so good anymore.  He has wasted his grace on me for so long now, keeping me alive so he wouldn’t be alone anymore, and to put off my punishment as long as possible.  If he wastes what is left, and someone shoots him, he will die.  His grace will be replaced by a human soul that will be judged.  New soul or not, he will never see the Righteous Man again.  He’ll be locked up for eternity.  He would rather be stuck here for an eternity, seeking out his lover time and again only to lose him over and over instead of spending an eternity in heaven without him.”

 

Sam thought that was the saddest love story he had ever heard.  He gleaned several things from that conversation though, and he wanted answers to the questions that he had.

 

“You’re telling me that my brother’s destiny is to meet your brother, and die.  He’s supposed to die in there today.  What happens if Castiel is able to save him?  What if he lives?”

 

Gabe shook his head.  “I really don’t know.  He’s never been able to save him before, mostly because the Righteous Man begged him not to.”

 

“Is God really gone?”  

 

“The last I heard, yes.  My brother still has his ears tuned in, but it’s been years since he really listened.  He won’t admit it but I think he has lost faith.  He feels abandoned.  I can’t say I blame him.”  There was so much despair in Gabe’s eyes that it broke Sam’s heart.  

 

“I can feel the truth in what you’re saying.  It’s terrifying, but I’m not going to idly sit by and watch my brother die at the hands of some stupid prophecy that never should have been written.  What can we do to stop this?”  Sam was convinced that there was a way out of this.

 

“We can’t.  I don’t have any powers anymore.”  Gabe held his hands out, palms up.  “They don’t even hear my prayers anymore.”

 

“Are you telling me that every single angel in heaven believes the war has to happen?  Every single one of them?  You don’t have any allies at all?”

 

Gabe dropped his hands to his lap and stared at the ground once more.  “There were maybe a few, but I don’t know what they could do.  If this was meant to happen, they can’t change things.  It’s destiny.  God’s will, if you prefer to think of it that way.  Everything, for all of time was preplanned by our Father.  The big ticket items, they have to happen.  World War I, the Assassination of President Lincoln, things like that.  They trigger a chain of events that lead to further important points in history.  Sure, the little things are left up to chance, God likes a little spice in his life, but the big things?  No.  They can’t be changed.  Without my grace I have no idea whether or not this is a big event.  My guess is that it’s a big one because our brothers are in there.”

 

“My brother does not have to die just to satisfy some fucking prophecy.  He doesn’t even believe in God!”  Sam was trembling now with anger.  There had to be a way to get his brother out alive.  Gabe looked at him for a moment before closing his eyes and bringing his hands together.  Unfamiliar words rolled off his tongue and Sam knew he was praying once again.  When he opened his eyes next he was looking around almost fearfully.  His eyes locked on something in the distance and widened.  Sam followed his gaze to see two people approaching, a man and a woman.  Neither one looked friendly.  They stopped at the edge of the yellow tape when a police officer made them, though their gaze locked on Gabe.

 

“Well, come on and meet the family, Sam.  You wanted help, this is your only chance.”  Gabe said as he got to his feet.  Sam stood up as well.

 

“These...are angels?”

 

“Yes.  And whatever you do, don’t piss them off.  They’re not above smiting us both.”  Gabe was already plastering on a smile as they started for the police line.  Sam hesitated a moment before following.

 

“I’m sorry, did you say  _ smite?! _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter. Comments and kudos are always welcome. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I know I'm like, REALLY late with this update, but I did always plan to come back to this one. I just didn't realize a year and a half had passed. Oops! Anyway, I'll be working on this one because I want to finish it and have closure on it. I'll be working on chapter 6 over the next few days. 
> 
> Hopefully once you ask refresh yourselves with the story, you'll like the new update.

Sitting on the floor of a bank was not doing Dean’s ass any good at all.  It was numb and his sciatic was starting to bother him. He stayed quiet though.  Ruby was leaning against the back wall while the guy in the jeans leaned against the south one.  The guy in all black was slowly pacing near the front windows but not where he could be seen and shot by snipers.  Though the blinds had been drawn, Dean had no doubt the S.W.A.T. team had heat sensors on their rifles. They’d go through glass, but not through brick.  These bastards seemed to know this and were being especially cautious. Next to him Castiel was being extremely quiet. His blue eyes watching each of their captors closely.  Dean looked again at Andy who was still lying on the floor. His heart jumped when he realized the man’s eyes were open and looking right back. Very discreetly Dean shook his head.  He really hoped Andy took it as a hint to stay still. Andy blinked and slowly closed his eyes again. His body was tense though, ready to spring up at any second. Dean drew his knees up and crossed his ankles.  He locked his arms around his legs and with his left hand grabbed his right wrist. It was a position he could jump up from if he had to, but looked just casual enough that it shouldn’t raise any suspicion. Besides, it relieved some of the pressure on his lower back.  Castiel suddenly turned to him and laid a hand on his arm. There was a strange sort of feeling, like an electrical current running between them that made Dean suddenly feel jittery. The really weird part was that it felt familiar, as though he and Castiel had done this before.  He’d never seen the man before today though, he was sure of it. Turning his head, he found blue eyes watching him. 

 

_ “Can you hear me?” _

 

Dean’s eyes widened.  He opened his mouth to say something but Castiel pressed an insistent finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.

 

_ “Just think it and I will hear you.” _

 

Dean was too numb with shock at first to answer him.  How the hell was Castiel even  _ doing _ this?!  Finally he got himself under control and responded with a thought of his own.

 

_ “How are you doing this?” _

 

Castiel smiled softly, though there was much sadness in it.

 

_ “There were a great many things I could once do.  Not anymore though. I want to save the people here, but I can’t.  I am weak.” _

 

Dean shook his head, still marveling over the fact that he could hear Castiel inside his head.

 

_ “These people?  They’re insane. This is going to end bloody, and I don’t see a way around that.  I can shoot one, maybe two of them before someone shoots me, but that will just put the rest of you at risk.” _

 

Castiel’s grip on his arms tightened.   _ “You can’t.  I know you think you have to be the hero, but you don’t.  I know how this story ends. It ends the same way it always does.  I just found you again. It’s been so long. I’m not ready to lose you again so soon.” _

 

Dean cocked his head.  What was he going on about?  Lose him?

 

_ “What are you talking about?” _

 

Castiel’s smile was soft but so full of sadness.

 

_ “Do you not remember me?  Your soul, despite how difficult it is for me to see those of other people, I can still see how brightly yours shines.  It draws me in like a beacon, just as it has always done. Do you feel it? Here, when I touch you?” _

 

His hand moved up to lay over Dean’s shoulder and despite wearing three layers on his upper torso it felt like Castiel’s hand was burning him, searing his very flesh, though it didn’t hurt.  

 

_ “What did you just do?  It burned without hurting.” _

 

As strange as this all seemed, there was something oddly familiar about it, and strangely comforting.  Castiel leaned in closer.

 

_ “Do you remember me?” _

 

Dean racked his brain as he tried to remember where he might have seen Castiel’s face before because yes, the man  _ did _ look familiar.  There was a strange ache in his chest and he found himself reaching over and placing a hand on the man’s knee.

 

_ “I feel like I do.  I just don’t know how.” _

 

That seemed to spark something in Castiel and his blue eyes filled with so much hope.

 

_ “I will show you, but you must remain quiet.  Do not draw attention to yourself or they will shoot you.” _

 

Dean swallowed thickly and nodded.

 

_ “Yeah, ok.” _

 

With that Castiel touched his forehead.  It was so light and so fast that anyone looking would have assumed he was flicking a bug away, or a hair, but it was enough to bring long forgotten memories to the surface. Dean's eyes widened and he grabbed Castiel's hand. 

 

_ “I remember!” _

 

Castiel's smile was still sad, though not quite as much. 

 

“I am glad. I missed you.”

 

Dean smiled and brought Castiel's hand up to his mouth,pressing his lips to it. 

 

_ “I am here now.” _

 

Castiel shook his head. 

 

_ “We're trapped. I'm going to lose you again.” _

 

Dean could hear and feel Castiel's sadness. He remembered each of his deaths with crystal clear recall. Over and over he'd found Castiel only to be torn from his side every time. That was not something he wanted to do again. His hold on Castiel's hand tightened. 

 

_ “Not this time.” _

 

Castiel did not respond. Instead he clung to Dean's hand and laid his head on the cop's shoulder. If this was all the time he was going to get, he wanted to be as close to his lover as possible. 

 

Dean was trying to sort through good memories, looking for a way to make things end differently. If this was his time to die that meant three things:

 

  1. Michael was near and would be making his appearance soon
  2. Lucifer was here already, and Dean knew that much was true
  3. Sam was close by



 

That worried him. This may not have come into play today if Sam was out of town, or if Dean had moved away like his instinct had told him to do years ago. But he'd been reluctant to leave his brother. In every lifetime it was his concern and need to protect his brother that had made him stay. It was that devotion that spelled their doom in every incarnation. 

 

He thought of his pregnant sister in law and the child she carried in her belly. If the prophecy played out, she'd lose her husband, and their baby would never know it's father. That had happened before too. There was no way he would just idly sit back and let it happen again. 

 

Ruby was eating a peach, her eyes scanning the women currently huddled under the windows. Dean was glad she wasn't paying the men any mind. If she was, he feared she'd recognize him. During the interrogation, she'd been high as a kite and he'd had his partner in the room with him. She'd spent most of the time barely conscious. He was counting on her not having been coherent enough. 

 

Castiel was watching Luke but turned to look at Dean when he nudged him. 

 

_ “Why are you staring so hard?” _

 

_ “He hasn't recognized me yet. Either he's too preoccupied, or my grace is so depleted that he cannot feel that there is another here with grace.”  _ Castiel thought in return. Dean frowned and looked over at Luke. 

 

_ “Michael is close, I can feel him.”  _ Dean knew the angel was nearby, he just couldn't tell if he was already inside the bank it just lingering nearby. 

 

Castiel sat up straighter and looked around at all of the other hostages. Was his brother here already? Dean squeezed his angel’s hand in an attempt to reassure him, but he was on alert too. 

 

“What are we waiting for?” The guy in the tee shirt asked Luke. 

 

“My brother should be showing his face any time now.” Luke replied. His eyes scanned the male hostages until they landed on Dean. Then on Castiel. 

 

“Thank you, brother, for making sure Mikey’s vessel was here. Once he gets here, we'll get this show on the road. My vessel is right outside. We'll just call him in here and get this apocalypse started.” He sounded downright gleeful and it made Dean shiver. 

 

“I won't say yes. Not now, not ever.” Dean snapped. 

 

“Oh, but I think you will. Probably not this time, but you see, Cassie won't be around next time. He's depleted his grace. He won't be able to warn you ahead of time and remind you of who you are.” Luke was so condescending Dean wanted to just jump up and claw his eyes out of his head. Castiel had a vice like grip on his hand though, holding him in place. 

 

“This time will be different. My brother won't be saying yes to you either.”

 

The false sympathy on Luke's face was infuriating. 

 

“Well, that's where you're wrong. He's going to say yes, because if he doesn't, I'm going to rip that pretty little baby from his wife's belly. So you see, he really doesn't have a choice.”

 

Dean knew the shock on his face was obvious, but he couldn't mask it that time. He was going to lose Sam or Jess was going to die. Either way, he would be dying today. Luke just threw his head back and laughed. 


	6. A Difficult Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Benjamin is referred to here in the feminine. I went back and forth over what pronouns to use as I couldn't remember on the show which were used. Seeing as how angels don't have gender, they're literally multi-dimensional wavelengths of celestial intent, I felt it safe to use she and her. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'll update tags shortly.

Sam watched as Gabe approached the angels. It looked like he was afraid of them, and that didn't give him good feelings.

 

“Gabriel.” The woman on the right nodded her head in greeting. The woman on the right remained silent, her dark eyes watching the flurry of activity around them.

 

“Mirabel, Benjamin.” Gabe greeted them. Sam arched an eyebrow when he heard the second woman’s name, but remained silent. He wanted to see where they stood before he said anything. Gabe turned to Sam and motioned for him to come closer, so he did.

 

“Sam, they're friends of my brother. They don't agree with the prophecy and feel that it needs to be broken. You're the only one who can do that.”

 

“This is it, Lucifer is here?” Mirabel asked. Gabe nodded.

 

“He took the bank hostage. The Righteous Man and our brother, Castiel, they're inside.”

 

“Michael is close.” Benjamin said. She turned her gaze to Sam. “You're Lucifer's vessel.”

 

He froze under the angel's penetrating stare.

 

“Uh, technically, but I'm not saying yes.”

 

“You will. You always do.” She stated matter of factly. He bristled at her accusation, because that's what it felt like; an accusation.

 

“Not this time.” He ground out. Gabe gave him a pleading look, a silent request to be patient and hold his tongue. He clenched his jaw and ran his fingers through his hair. Fine, Gabe could deal with them.

 

“What would you have us do, Gabriel? We're no match for Lucifer.” Benjamin sounded slightly exasperated. That worried Sam.

 

“You can get them out of there, that's what you can do.” Gabe was frustrated. Sam looked nervously between them. He didn't know what a pissed off angel was capable of, and he really didn't want to find out.

 

“Lucifer is stronger than us. He has no need for a blade, just as you did not. We cannot just go in there and pull them out, he would smite us on sight.” Mirabel was the only one that still sounded calm. “I presume he has his demons with him.”

 

“I'm sure he does, but they can easily be disposed of.” Gabe rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Have you any news of our father?”

 

“Yes, actually. We have heard that he has been here, on earth, though we don't know where. He has been out of contact with heaven.” She replied. Gabe’s shoulders slumped. Even Sam knew that was bad.

 

“Why are you so certain that I will say yes? Why have I never said no before?” He wanted to know why, in all of his incarnations, he had never once said no. Was Dean just that much stronger than him?

 

Gabe turned to face him, the expression on his face one of a mixture of sadness and what Sam knew to be a loss of hope.

 

“Because Lucifer always knows your weakness. You always choose her over your brother. Over the fate of the entire world. I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but… you're selfish. In every lifetime you choose to save her over the rest of humanity, and it's all for not. If the Righteous Man were to say yes, she and the rest of humanity would all die anyway. I've watched you make the wrong decision time and again, even when guided and encouraged to make the right one. This time though, even if you're brother says no and dies, my brother and I will not be here in the next lifetime to guide you. Your brother will lose hope. He'll be losing the love of his life. He will say yes for no other reason than to hope he'll be killed and reunited with Castiel, except my brother will not be waiting for him in heaven. There's no place there for fallen angels. He will never see Castiel again. If he doesn't say no, the world _will_ come to a fiery end.”

 

Sam felt the weight of the man's words all the way down in his very soul, and he knew Gabe spoke the truth. He also knew that the only way to stop what the bible had written about in the Book of Revelations as the end of times was for him to act selflessly. He didn't want to see his brother or his parents die. Or his-

 

“My wife!” He exclaimed. “He's going after Jess?!”

 

“Yes, Sam. He already has her. Just as always, he will use her as leverage to get you to submit; to say yes.” Gabe replied.

 

Sam was in a panic as he pulled his phone out and dialed his house. When Jess didn't answer, her called her cell. It went immediately to voicemail.

 

_“Hey, you've reached Jessica, I can't come to the phone right now but if you leave a message, I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you, and have a great day!”_

 

Sam felt cold as he lowered the phone down and looked at the angels. There was so much sorrow in Gabe's eyes he couldn't stand it.

 

“If I don't say yes, he's going to kill my wife and my unborn baby.”

 

“Yes. Now you understand why you always say yes.” Benjamin said.

 

Sam looked towards the bank in horror. His wife and child, or the entire world. He'd read the bible, he knew the terror and agony Lucifer was set to let loose upon the world. Jess and their baby would likely die in this war between Lucifer and Michael. Michael, he sensed would be even more brutal than Lucifer. He would show no mercy in his desire to win.

 

Dean would lose his eternal love in all of this too. He vaguely remembered the life before this one. Memories, now being jarred and brought to the surface had him remembering the agony Castiel felt as he held Dean's broken and battered body in his arms. He had watched from inside his own body as Lucifer tortured and murdered his brother, and he'd been unable to stop the angel.

 

He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. Why did it have to come down to him and Dean? Why did they have to go through this over and over, like a broken record?

 

“It takes both of us saying no to break this prophecy, right?” He asked. Both Mirabel and Benjamin nodded. Gabe hesitated a moment before nodding too.

 

“It takes incredible strength to stand up to Lucifer and say no.”

 

“I know what will make it so I don't say yes, but I need you angels to do something for me.” Sam turned to face them head on.

 

Benjamin frowned while Mirabel arched an eyebrow in surprise.

 

“What is it?” Mirabel asked.

 

“I know there is one thing more important to my wife and me than even each other. She would understand my reasoning for not choosing her… if you can save our baby. Jess is nearly nine months pregnant, the baby can survive outside her womb. Can you find her and safely take our child away before…” He felt the tears slipping down his cheeks. They burned like fire. “Before they cut my little girl out of my wife's belly?”

 

The expressions on both of the angel’s faces turned sympathetic.

 

“We will find her and take the child up to heaven. His angels cannot follow us there, for they are forever banned from the light of heaven. Lucifer himself cannot even follow. She will be safe there. You must say no. Her life depends on it.” Mirabel said. Sam swallowed hard and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

 

“I'll die before I say yes.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a powerful chapter. Get ready...

Castiel tightened his grip on Dean's hand, enough so that he got the point. Attacking Lucifer would be incredibly foolish. 

 

_ “He's not above torturing you in order to persuade you to say yes to Michael.”  _ He warned. Dean glared angrily at Lucifer but settled back again beside Castiel. 

 

_ “Righteous Man…” _

 

The voice echoed through Dean's head and he flinched at the sound of it. Castiel tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied Dean's face. 

 

“ _ Is it Michael?” _

 

_ “Yes it is. My answer is NO.” _ Dean replied, knowing Michael was now listening in. He felt the anger from the archangel pushing against the walls of his mind. It was agonizing. He pulled his hand out of Castiel's and grabbed his head as his vision went white. 

 

“Ah, I see my brother has arrived.” Lucifer announced. The other hostages were looking around in confusion for another member of their attacker's group, but there was no one. 

 

“Dean,” Castiel wrapped his arms around his lover's shoulders and held him as Michael continued his assault. After what felt like an eternity but was only a few minutes, Michael relented, pulling back and disappearing. Dean gasped and collapsed, unconscious against Castiel who pulled him closer, laying the man's head in his lap.

 

“You don't have to do this!” Castiel shouted. “Not every prophecy needs to be fulfilled! This war you want? Earth is already a battle ground. It doesn't need you, it doesn't need Michael. This is a petty sibling fight and only shows that in all the millennia that we have existed for, you have never actually  _ listened _ to our Father's words. He banished you for a thousand years, Lucifer, not forever! Whether you believe it or not, he still loves you, just as he loves Michael. Just as he  _ loves us all.  _ You were his favorite, his  _ most _ beloved. It was _ you _ that taught us to understand _ why _ our Father favored the humans over us. You were the only one that loved them as much as he did. When his faith in humans disappeared and he wanted them wiped from the planet,  _ you _ chose to save them. You knew they were special, worthy of His love. 

 

“He was angry, petty, vindictive, and his punishment was unfair, but Lucifer, you are the Morning Star, meant to sit at our Father's right side, to guide him, to obey him,  but you are so much more than that! Can't you see? You were not given free will, that was bestowed upon the humans, and yet you took it for yourself. You showed angels like me, like Gabriel, like Hannah and so many others that we too can take it for ourselves, even at the risk of punishment. 

 

“This war, it won't bring Father back. I believe he has never left. He is watching, waiting to see whether you will use the free will that you took for yourself and break this prophecy. If you reach out, you can feel him. He is in every molecule, every atom, and he surrounds us and fills us with his love and light. 

 

“My banishment was not at his hands. I fulfilled a prophecy, yes. I pulled the Righteous Man out of hell, as was prophesied to happen, except I did something the other angels did not expect. Rather than hand him over to Michael, I made a decision for myself. I fell in love with him and I chose to protect him, from this war, and from the misguided angels still in heaven that blindly follow everything that was ever written on Metatron’s tablets. 

 

“Did it ever occur to you that Metatron was writing not God's word, but his own? These prophecies came long after Father left heaven. Why would you still follow them? Please, I beg of you, don't do this. Don't take away the man I love again. I've done nothing to deserve to be separated from him for all eternity, to linger in anguish in the Empty. Neither has Gabriel. Lucifer,  _ brother _ , say no. Refuse to fight Michael. Break this prophecy once and for all!”

 

Castiel broke down in tears, sobbing almost hysterically as he clung to Dean's unconscious body. This was it, Dean's last incarnation where they would be together. His grace would fade out long before his love returned again, and he and Gabriel both would be trapped in the Empty, with no hope of ever escaping. Painful sobs tore from his throat. He didn't care how he looked to others. These were his last moments on earth with the man he had loved for millennia now. 

 

The next incarnation of the Righteous Man would not be for another 100 years. Every 100 years he waited faithfully for his love to return. They were bonded not only by their love but by his grace, for he had woven the Righteous Man's first incarnation back together with it, and some had remained inside him, bound to his soul. When he returned again he would long for Castiel, search the world over for the angel he'd fallen so hopelessly in love with, but this time, he would not find him. The grace inside him would burn, demanding it be reunited with its source, and he would languish, crying out for Castiel, praying to him. And his angel would never come. He would believe himself abandoned, and in his agony, as Castiel's grace burned him from the inside out, he would say yes. 

 

When he finally looked up, he saw conflict on his brother's face for the first time in several millennia. It sparked hope in him but he dared not let it show.

 

“You're foolish, Castiel. Foolish, yet…” Lucifer frowned as he shook his head. “He abandon us! How is it that you've been banished, that our brother and I have tortured you for millennia by taking away the man you love, and you _ still _ have faith? Heaven has forsaken you, Castiel, it has forsaken us both.”

 

“That's where you are mistaken, brother. Heaven has not forsaken us, our misguided brethren have. Father never stopped loving us. He believes in us. He wants us to think for ourselves. 

 

“Michael, I hope you've been listening too, because aside from Lucifer, there was none more loyal than you. You are God's warrior, but he gave you the gift of compassion, of _ love _ . He  _ is  _ watching, I believe that, and when He returns to his throne on high, you will see. His love will fill us all and bring peace back to heaven. You just have to have _ faith _ . In yourself, in mankind, in everything He created. Don't let our brethren, those incapable of thinking for themselves decide what you should and should not do. Metatron will be punished accordingly at that time."

 

Castiel let out a ragged breath. He'd never tried so hard to persuade his brothers before, and it was with a heavy heart that he knew he should have tried harder every time before this. 

 

“Boss?” Ruby cocked her head in confusion when Lucifer crossed the room and crouched down in front of Castiel. 

 

“Are you saying this because you believe it will save him? Your grace is nearly gone, I can barely see it now. When it is no more, you will die, just as the humans do, and you will be parted from one another anyway. His soul would go to heaven, and he would spend an eternity mourning for you. Either way, you die, he dies, and still you would say this?”

 

Castiel raised his chin proudly and looked his brother in the eye. The vessel he had convinced to let him in so he could come here to try and fill this blasted prophecy was decaying. It would fall apart soon if he didn't get into the vessel he was destined to claim. 

 

“I say this because I believe a war between you and Michael is  _ not  _ God's will. You're being used to start a celestial war that will end in thousands of our kind being destroyed. No one would benefit more from that more than Metatron. Think about it. Who told us to take God's word down to earth so the humans might write it as gospel? It wasn't God. He covets our Father's throne. Unless all who would oppose him are destroyed, he will never be able to do it. 

 

“I'm aware that my death is inevitable, as is my love's but you and Michael? You can change the fate of mankind, and the fate of heaven. I know that even in your anger, you still love our Father. Your grace longs to return to heaven where it rightfully belongs. He is watching, I'm certain of it. Show Him that you still love Him.”

 

Lucifer seemed to at least be contemplating his words. He stood up and looked around the room. 

 

“Michael, do you have your ears on?”

 

_ “I am…listening.” _

 

“Is this true what Castiel is saying? Metatron covets the throne?”

 

_ There are some who believe this. The number that does is growing. The scribe is displeased. I no longer know whether this prophecy is our Father's or one of Metatron’s false ones. Castiel speaks the truth.” _

 

Lucifer pulled off the strange plastic mask that he'd been wearing since he arrived and tossed it aside. He rubbed at his temples and let out a frustrated moan. 

 

“I never believed in this war, Michael. I have fought enough of our brethren already. I do not wish to fight you anymore, or Gabriel, or any of the archangels. I come when the pull draws me to the Righteous Man, but brother, are you not weary? Of this fight? Of this prophecy? You can return to heaven, destroy the tablet and smite Metatron. If I were able, I would do it myself.”

 

_ “He is the writer of God's Will.” _

 

Michael sounded uncertain, his faith beginning to waver. 

 

“Father would choose another, one faithful to Him, without their own agenda. Cast him out of heaven, if you will, and let _ me _ deal with him.”

 

Castiel could hear Michael’s side of the conversation and he could feel the tiny flicker of hope in his chest growing a little bigger. In his lap Dean began to stir. Carefully, Castiel helped back up into a sitting position. His face was ashen, his expression pinched in pain. He was quiet though, listening to the two archangels conversation. He found his angel's hand and held it tight. 

 

_ “He is watching too. This battle, he is eager for it and has always claimed God commanded it. I admit, I am doubtful that it is. I have always followed orders, done everything Father commanded, but…this time, I will not. If this is God's command, let him step forth and say it is so and I will fulfill it. If it is not, then I will bring the wrath of God down on Metatron and his faction.” _

 

Lucifer nodded in agreement. “I will not fulfill this prophecy either. May Father forgive me.”

 

Dean turned wide, stunned eyes towards Castiel. 

 

“What did you do? How did you convince them?” He whispered. 

 

“I've had a long time to think about it, and before I was cast out of heaven I took a look at many different prophecies, looking for a way to save you, but also to save myself because I knew a banishment was coming. I paid particular attention to the ones written after our Father left heaven, and this was the biggest one of all. 

 

“After this, the second coming of Christ is supposed to occur, except rumor has it that Metatron planned to possess an innocent person and claim he was the second coming, then when he “died",  _ he _ would sit on the throne. Only our Father returning could cast him out and he believes our Father has left forever. But he hasn't. I know he hasn't. My faith in Him has never wavered. This is a test of our faith, to see who is truly loyal to Him and who would rather see heaven fall than see humans continue to live.”

 

“My faith in him, I…believe in him, but I know I have cursed his name in previous lives because I believed we had been abandoned. You believe we have not?” Dean was trying to understand _ how _ his angel's faith had remained all this time. 

 

“We were never abandoned.” Castiel brought a hand up to Dean's cheek, cupping it gently. “I have faith that this time, you will live, and I will cherish every moment spent with you.” There were tears in his eyes that Dean wiped away before kissing him. 

 

“I still say no, even if in my next life, you're not there. I will eventually remember, and I will always say no.”

 

_ “I will not ask you again, Righteous Man. You are free of my wrath.” _ Michael spoke directly to him this time. Dean gave a thankful nod. 

 

_ “Thank you, Michael.” _

 

“Now what?” The man in the black trench coat asked. 

 

“Now? We wait.” Lucifer replied. 


	8. Chapter 8

Sam was a wreck. His hands were shaking, his stomach twisting and making him feel like he would throw up at any second, but there was nothing he could do except wait. 

 

Gabe wasn't faring much better. His lips were pressed together in a thin line and his eyes looked haunted. He was watching the police as they moved about, and the crowds that had gathered. 

 

“We're not alone.” He said quietly. Sam tore his eyes away from the doors of the bank to look at him. 

 

“What? What does that even mean?”

 

“There are angels in the crowd. I can't sense them like I used to, but they stick out like sore thumbs, kind of hard to miss them.”

 

Sam scanned the every growing crowds of spectators. It took him a few minutes to see what Gabe meant. There were people dressed in suits, standing stiffly, unmoving despite the flurry of activity and the heightened state of emotions going on all around them. Their eyes were riveted to the bank, no doubt waiting for Dean to finally say yes. Every time he thought he had a head count, new angels appeared. He lost count and turned back to Gabe feeling more afraid than ever. 

 

“Gabriel...” 

 

The fallen angel turned to look at him. 

 

“Gabriel, that's the name of one of the archangels. You…were meant to signal the end of times, unless you're another Gabriel.”

 

Gabe's smile was bittersweet, closer to a grimace than a smile. “No, that's me. At one time I was favored by my Father. I was His messenger. Had he not left, my brethren wouldn't have been able to shun me and ban me from heaven as they have. I like to think He'd be ashamed of their behavior, but I also never expected Him to just up and abandon His creations.”

 

Sam thought for a while, weighing what Gabe had said.

 

“Has anyone considered the possibility that this is a test? That so far no one has made the right choice, except maybe my brother. What if He's just waiting for the right choices to be made before He shows himself again?”

 

“That has occurred to me, but if you choose to say no, what if that doesn't change anything? You all die and in a 100 years this all starts over again? What then?” Gabe asked. 

 

“I don't think it will though. I'm not an angel, I don't have celestial abilities, but this feels different somehow, don't you think?”

 

Gabe ran his eyes over the crowds again. There were many more angels than before. They were eager for a war, and that made him sick. However, something did feel different. There was a charge to the air that he had never noticed before. A man standing on the edge of the crowd caught his eye. He wasn't watching the bank, he was watching him and Sam. He nudged the man beside him. 

 

“That guy keeps staring at us.”

 

Sam looked where he'd jerked his head but it took him a few minutes to spot the man in question. Sure enough, he was calmly watching them, not the police or the bank. 

 

“Is he an angel?”

 

“No, definitely not an angel.” Suddenly a thought occurred to him. His eyes widened and he gasped. “Sam! That's my Father!”

 

He grabbed onto the taller man's arm and looked up with what Sam could only describe as shock mixed with equal parts terror and excitement. Sam looked up again, seeking the man out in the crowd but he was gone. 

 

“Hello, Gabriel.”

 

They both startled and Gabe whipped around to see the man standing on this side of the yellow tape, a mere few feet away. This definitely wasn't the God Sam had expected. He was short, with a scruffy beard and bright blue eyes. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, covered by an army issue green jacket. The clothes seemed to hang on his thin frame and yet, somehow, he carried an air of authority. Gabe dropped to his knees in front of the man and folded his hands in prayer. 

 

“Father, I-I…”

 

The man's expression softened and he patted Gabe's shoulder. 

 

“I know. Stand up, you're making a scene.”

 

Gabe scrambled back to his feet, his eyes still locked on him. Those blue eyes turned to Sam and he smiled softly before offering his hand. 

 

“It's nice to meet you, Sam. Well, technically I met you at the time of your creation, but you wouldn't remember that. You can call me Chuck, it's what I've been going by.”

 

“Chuck,” Sam said as he shook his hand. God, the creator of heaven and earth… wanted to be called  _ Chuck.  _ He wasn't sure what he'd expected, an electrical shock? Thunder and lightning? Definitely not anything more than a simple handshake. It was underwhelming. 

 

“What made you return?” Gabe asked. 

 

“Sam was right, this was a test. I was trying to flush out the traitors among the angels ranks and I have. Your brother, Castiel figured out what was really happening, and he brought about the end of this prophecy. Took him longer than I'd expected though. I know who is loyal to me now, and who will need to be punished.” Chuck explained. 

 

“Castiel? How… what…” Gabe was confused, and so was Sam. 

 

“What did he do?” Sam asked. 

 

“I did not write this prophecy, Metatron did. When I learned that he was going to start trying to enact it, I… took a vacation, decided to come and live amongst the humans I had given up on. I wanted to see what he was up to, but even more than that, I wanted to know if my angels were capable of developing free will if I did not give it to them. The answer is, yes, they can, but too many are unwilling to even try. Today though, my sons made the choice to defy the prophecy, and therefore defy Metatron. I'm quite pleased.” Chuck looked like the cat that got the canary. It freaked Sam out a bit. 

 

“Are you saying Lucifer and Michael chose not to try and fulfill it?” Gabe asked. 

 

“Yes, exactly, and it's all thanks to Castiel. Humanity will continue.”

 

Gabe scrubbed one shaky hand down his face and looked back towards the bank. 

 

“You know Castiel didn't openly disobey you. He just fell in love.”

 

“I know. I'm most proud of him. He was the first to develop free will. I know how in love he is with the Righteous Man. I gave all of you the capacity for love. Most of you refused to access that part of yourself. You showed incredible loyalty to your brother, Castiel. I know you love him very much, Gabriel.”

 

Chuck placed his hand on Gabe's shoulder again, except this time, the man began to glow. He gasped, his head falling back as the light seemed to fill him from the inside out. Sam shielded his eyes against it, though it only lasted a few seconds before it faded away. He dropped his hand and looked at Gabe. 

 

“What just happened?”

 

Gabe grinned wide. “Father restored me. Thank you,” He looked at Chuck with gratitude. 

 

“You never should have been stripped of your position. Those that did it will face punishment, just as they will for shunning your brother and casting you both out.” Chuck snapped his fingers, though Sam didn't notice anything changing. Gabe, however smiled wider. 

 

“Look at the crowd, Sam.”

 

He did as he was told, noticing immediately that all of the angels that had been standing there were gone. 

 

“What are you going to do about the hostage situation? Lucifer killed people.”

 

“Yes, I suppose I should have a talk with my sons.”

 

Sam flinched when Chuck suddenly just disappeared. He turned to look at Gabe. 

 

“What happened to the angels?”

 

“They're locked away until Father returns to heaven. Anyone that supported Metatron, was against me or Castiel, they're locked up. I can hear their confusion and fear. The best part? He gave  _ me _ the key.” Gabe was gleeful about that. 

 

“What about my wife? My baby? Who has Jess? Can you save her?” Sam was desperate to know what happened to his wife and baby. 

 

Gabe cocked his head and Sam got the impression he was listening to something only he could hear. 

 

“I'll go get her. Two angels were holding her in a warehouse not far from here, but they're now locked up. I'll be back in a bit.”

 

With that, he disappeared, and Sam was left standing there alone. His mind was still spinning over everything he'd just witnessed. He staggered back a few steps when he realized he'd just met  _ God,  _ and not only met him, but had a  _ conversation _ with Him! 

 

Yelling drew his attention and he saw Rufus barking orders at his men. Guns were being aimed at the bank. The doors had opened. He covered his mouth with one shaky hand as he waited to see what was about to happen. 


	9. Chapter 9

Dean's head still hurt from Michael's attack but he was alert, watchful of Lucifer and the others. Castiel had gotten to his feet and slowly approached his brother. 

 

“What the  _ fuck _ is happening?” A man a few feet away from Dean hissed. 

 

“It sounded like some biblical ramblings. Maybe they're from one of those cults.” Another man replied. 

 

“Or maybe your ignorance and stubbornness prevents you from comprehending that you're sitting in the presence of  _ angels _ .” Dean snapped. Both men looked skeptically at Lucifer and Castiel who were talking quietly. 

 

“I think there's something wrong with that guy. Angels don't exist.” The first guy nudged the second guy and jerked a thumb in Dean's direction. 

 

“Oh, we exist.” Lucifer said as he walked over. “I might not be in the proper vessel, but I still have my powers.” With a snap of his fingers the first man dropped to the floor. The second man looked anxiously between Lucifer and the man on the floor beside him. Tentatively he reached over to check the guy's pulse. He was still alive. 

 

“I thought for a moment you were going to smite them.” Castiel said. 

 

“Nah, I decided I'm going to turn over a new leaf. I was just trying to get Dad's attention before. I just knocked his ignorant ass out for a bit.” Lucifer shrugged. 

 

“Where's Sam? Where's my brother?” Dean asked. 

 

“He's safe. So is his family. Hmmm, I should probably let them know to let her go.” Lucifer pulled out his own phone to make the call. Castiel returned to his seat beside Dean and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. 

 

“What are we waiting for, exactly?” Dean asked softly. 

 

“I think he's waiting to see if any other angels step in. Or possibly even our Father. As cruel and evil as the world sees my brother, most of it was embellished. Good and evil do not exist in the way that humans perceive them. That is a human concept. There is right and wrong, and there is punishment for disobeying God. Do you remember why you were in hell? Why I had to go there and pull you out?” 

 

Dean tried to remember. Even though Castiel had given him back his past memories, hell was just not something he remembered. 

 

“It's fuzzy. My first memory is opening my eyes after you pulled me out. Right after you put me back together.”

 

Castiel smiled softly as he touched Dean's cheek, stroking his thumb across the freckles he'd been born into this lifetime with. It was so different from his first incarnation, when he'd first laid eyes on the human and fallen in love with him. His soul had been so bright, so beautiful, and despite a torturous 40 years in hell, it had never dimmed. Then he'd turned out to be as kind and wonderful as Castiel had always believed humans to be. It had been impossible not to fall in love with him. 

 

“You did as your brother asked. Michael and Lucifer came to you both. You were a farmer, married with children you adored. Your brother was married as well with children of his own. Even then, as you have in every lifetime since, you were close with one another. Your children grew up side by side.

 

“You were old by then, when the prophecy came to be written. It was almost as soon as it did that word spread across heaven. It reached Lucifer as well, even in the furthest depths of hell, and as he'd been freed long before then from his prison, he came forth to fulfill it. You and your brother had been chosen as their vessels because of your bloodline. 

 

“Michael tormented you. Day in and day out he tried to break you, get you to say yes, but you refused. When you learned that your brother was going through the same thing, you opted to leave your families in hopes that they would not incur my brothers’ wrath. Your wife had passed by that time but his was still alive. My brother Gabriel came to you and warned you both to resist, that this prophecy was not the word of God. You and your brother, you made a pact. If either of you were in danger of saying yes, the stronger of the two would… end the life of the other. 

 

“As time wore on and the torture became more than he could bear, your brother broke down and confessed to you that he was going to say yes. Just before he did, you buried your dagger in his back, thus ending his life. 

 

“Your life ended not long after that. It was too painful to live without him, and word had spread of your sin. There was no place you were welcome, not even back home with your children. The angels on high could not understand how you could have killed your own brother, and yet your soul remained unblemished. We knew then that you were the Righteous Man. 

 

“When you died, to spite Michael, Lucifer took your soul to hell. You remained there until I retrieved you on Michael's command. I could not turn you over to him though. I knew that any soul that had endured all that you had been through and remained that pure and bright should never be used as an instrument of war. I bound myself to you when I saved you. 

 

“Even after word spread of what I'd done and how I had “gone against God's wishes", your soul was still bound to me. No angel in heaven could change that. I have loved you from that first moment I touched I soul.”

 

Dean touched his forehead to his angel's and sighed softly. 

 

“I don't remember anything before you pulling me out.”

 

“I had been instructed to erase your memories, lest you remember the pact you and your brother had made.”

 

“My first life, the story of brother killing brother, it reminds me of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain.” Dean murmured. 

 

“That's because, it's your story.”

 

Dean pulled back to look him in the eye. “Are you serious?”

 

“The bible is inaccurate on many fronts. Cain and Abel were written as the sons of Adam and Eve, but this is untrue. You were direct descendants, but more than a thousand years had passed by the time you were born. There are discrepancies in the bible, and a very big one is how Adam and Eve went from having two sons to suddenly there were wives for them to marry, and they had families. They were the first, but my Father created many after them, until the entire area was populated. From there humanity spread out across the world.” Castiel explained. 

 

“I…killed my brother?” Dean couldn't fathom ever harming Sam. 

 

“You did as he asked. You tried to save him. Unfortunately, it didn't work. History repeated itself over and over, and each time, Lucifer found your brother's weaknesses and exploited them. You, however remained strong. I have stayed by your side every time.”

 

Dean cupped his cheek gently and brought their lips together in a tender kiss. It felt so familiar, like he was coming home. 

 

“Well, it looks like someone beat me to it. They're not picking up, so either angels resistant to the war stepped in or Daddy dearest has returned.” Lucifer announced as he tucked his phone away. Castiel and Dean both turned to look at him.

 

“You think…” Castiel's blue eyes lit up with hope. His brother smirked. 

 

“I think he's back, and I'm betting he's not going to be happy.” Lucifer touched his cheek and grimaced when he felt another sore forming. This vessel was failing fast. It didn't put a damper on Castiel's joy. If it was God, He'd hopefully set everything straight very soon. 

 

_ “I just received word, Father has returned! He is punishing everyone that followed Metatron and were in favor of this war.” _ Michael announced. 

 

“Great, that means us too, moron.” Lucifer grumbled. Michael made a noise of distaste but said nothing more. 

 

Somewhere a horn began to blare. Every human in the room began to wail in agony, covering their ears as every window blew out. Dean collapsed against Castiel's side and his lover tried to help shield his ears. Finally the sound faded away. 

 

“Gabriel has been restored!” Castiel explained joyously. Lucifer glanced over at Ion only to find him gone.

 

“Heal them. Show these people the compassion I know you agree capable of.” Castiel insisted.  His brother pushed off the wall and started moving among the hostages, healing each one as they'd all been rendered deaf by the sound. When he reached Dean, he gave his brother an apologetic look before healing the human. 

 

“Miss me?”

 

He whipped around to see Gabe standing there with all the glory of heaven around him. 

 

“Gabe!” Castiel explained. His brother winked at him before turning his attention back to Lucifer. 

 

“How…” Lucifer frowned. “Father has returned, I see.”

 

“Yep. He's kicking ass and taking names.” Gabe said gleefully.

 

“So where is he?” Lucifer asked. 

 

A man dressed in jeans and a green canvas jacket stepped out from behind the teller cages. His hands were stuffed down in his pockets as his eyes roamed around the lobby, lingering for a moment on the dead woman before moving on. When they landed on Castiel, he smiled. Castiel smiled back. Finally, the man looked up at Lucifer, his smile falling away. 

 

“Hello, Lucifer.”

 

The angel stood up tall, meeting his gaze head on and nodding in greeting. 

 

“Dad.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more chapter after this and then we're done. I hope you're all still enjoying this.

Sam stood off to the side, ready to duck if shots began to fire, his hazel eyes riveted to the bank. He nearly jumped out of his skin when out of the blue, his phone rang. A few police men glanced his way but didn't pay him too much attention as he pulled it out. A choked sob tore its way out of his throat when he saw it was Jess’ number. 

 

“Jess?” His voice shook as he answered the call. He could hear her sobbing on the other end of the line. 

 

“Sam! I'm…the baby…”

 

“Shh, I know. Where are you right now?” He wiped away the tears burning his eyes and tried to focus on her voice.

 

“I-I think I'm in the warehouse district? Yes, Main and Alabama. I'm like, six blocks from you. I'm walking to you now.”

 

“I'll meet you,” He turned to leave but Benjamin was standing there, startling him again. 

 

“You need not worry, Mirabel is bringing her here.” She said. He noticed something in her arms and another sob escaped when he realized what it was. His newborn daughter, swaddled in a pale, yellow blanket was cradled in the angel’s arms. He was only barely aware of the call ending as he shoved the phone in his pocket and reached out for his baby. Benjamin smiled as she handed the infant over. 

 

“Sam!” He looked up and saw his wife hurrying towards him. Mirabel was following slowly behind her. Jess stopped short when she saw what her husband was holding. She burst into tears all over again as he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close. 

 

“Protect her, for she will be a mighty prophet. One day, she will be known as Saint Mary of Lawrence. Guide her well, and she will bring peace to many.” Benjamin said. 

 

“Mary, we didn't even tell anyone that we were planning to name her after Sam's mom,” Jess sniffed and touched her sleeping daughter's cheek. 

 

“She told us her name. She is blessed. Future gospels will be written about today, and about her arrival in this world. Her brother John will be the first apostle. Your nephew Nathaniel will be the second. Show them the path and let them walk in the footsteps of the Righteous Man.” Mirabel had a soft smile on her lips as she talked, but Sam and Jess were still stunned over the thought that their children were meant to have such important roles in the future. Mary began to squirm as she sucked angrily at her fist. Jess took her from Sam's arms and moved over to a park bench a few feet away. 

 

“Thank you for keeping my daughter safe, and for rescuing Jess.” Sam felt incredible gratitude towards these angels. They both gave a small nod as they looked over at Jess and Mary. 

 

“She's really going to be a prophet? Is that written about too by that Metatron guy or…” Sam didn't want to get overly excited if this turned out to be another false prophecy. 

 

“Our Father has written this one Himself, His first since His return. That He would choose to name the first prophet, and the first apostles, it's extremely important. Your families shall be highly regarded by those of us who remain in heaven." Mirabel said. 

 

“Families? What nephew are you talking about? Dean doesn't have any kids.”

 

“He will. His sons will help bring peace and order to the world. A time for change has begun. You will write about today. It will become the first gospel in the new bible.” Benjamin stepped closer before he could react and touched two fingers to his forehead. His vision went white before returning to normal, though he felt different. He felt… clean. 

 

“What did you do to me?”

 

“Cleansed your soul, as was our Father's decree. You will be God's scribe here on earth. Behold the glory and document it well."

 

He felt like an incredible burden had just been placed upon his shoulders. How was he supposed to write all of this? He was a lawyer, not a writer. What was he supposed to say? Was it supposed to  _ sound _ like what was written in the bible? 

 

“You think too hard,” Mirabel said, smiling knowingly at him. “Just let the words flow. Jessica will help you.”

 

He had so many questions, so many things he wanted to know about this new future that had been laid out for him but before he could ask them, there rose a ruckus from the officers monitoring the bank. People were shouting and pointing at the building, so he turned to look. The doors were opening and people began walking out. For a hostage situation they were all moving very calmly towards the waiting police. More than a few of them were even smiling. That was confusing. He moved as close as they would let him, his eyes scanning the hostages for signs of his brother. When Dean finally walked out, he was linking hands with a man in a trench coat with messy, dark hair. Instinctively he knew this was Castiel. Sam blinked as he looked at his brother. Maybe it was just a trick of the sunlight, but if he didn't know any better, he'd have said there was a halo over Dean's head. 

 

“Dean!” He shouted as loud as he could but there was so much noise he wasn't sure his brother could even hear him. 

 

“They're alright! Oh! Dean!” 

 

Jessica had come to stand by his side and was waving one arm while holding the baby in the other, trying to get her brother in law's attention. The police were grabbing people as they came out, trying to usher them to safety, but Sam knew they were safe. Dean finally spotted him and headed straight for them. He pulled his little brother into a tight hug that seemed to go on forever. Neither man wanted to let go. 

 

“Dean, I'm so glad you're ok!” Sam swiped at the tears spilling down his cheeks and offered his brother a shaky smile. Dean was furiously wiping away his own tears. 

 

“Sammy, I have so much to tell you,”

 

Sam's smile grew wider. “I want to hear all of it. I have a lot to tell you too, but first, meet your niece, Mary.” He watched as Jess placed their daughter in Dean's arms. 

 

“What…how…” Dean stared down into his niece's eyes. She was staring right back at him. 

 

“Like I said, a lot to tell you.” San laughed. 

 

“Well damn, Sammy, start talking!”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wre at the end now, this is the final chapter. I'm sorry it took so long to finish, I have just had so much come up in the last couple of years, especially in the last year, but I always intended to come back and finish this one. I hope you like this chapter. Enjoy!

“Father,” Lucifer seemed torn between dropping to his knees out of respect or holding his ground. When Ruby and his third helper, Asmodaeus dropped to their knees and bowed their heads, he slowly did as well. It didn't miss his attention that Ion had disappeared. He tried not to think _ too _ hard about where the angel had disappeared to. 

 

“It's been a long time. I've been paying attention to your behavior though. I have to admit, I was rather disappointed that it took you so long to figure out that this wasn't one of my prophecies.” Chuck waited for his son to look up at him. When he did, he wore a look of confusion. 

 

“Why didn't you just say something? At least to Michael, if not me. You left us in the dark. We felt abandoned, not being in your light anymore. Even when I was released from my prison, everything felt cold and empty.”

 

“I needed you to find your inner strength, to stand on your own and prove to me that you loved humanity as much as you said you did.”

 

Lucifer winced and dropped his eyes to the floor. 

 

“I've failed you. I've killed innocent people in anger.”

 

“Yes, you have, and I'm not pleased about that.” Chuck spoke matter of factly, as if they were discussing simple business transactions and not the countless human lives Lucifer had persuaded to sin, just so he could take their souls to hell.

 

“I just…wanted you to love me again,” Lucifer looked pitifully up at Chuck, and from where Dean sat, the fallen angel looked exactly like the broken, unloved child he believed he was. “Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.”

 

“Son, I never  _ stopped _ loving you. The souls you condemned to hell under duress have all been released. I know why you behaved as you did. Your every action was to get my attention. You've always had it though, you all have. Now, rise, my Morning Star. Show the world how brightly you shine."

 

Chuck placed a hand on Lucifer's shoulder and a moment later he was glowing so brightly that everyone in the room had to shield their eyes. When it faded, they all looked up to see Lucifer, God's favorite standing there in all of heaven’s glory, dressed in white robes. A golden crown sat upon his head. The skin of his vessel had been healed and there was an aura surrounding him, one of peace and love. This was God's Right Hand, as he had been before his fall. He was beautiful. 

 

“ _ Father… _ ” Michael said his name reverently. Chuck snapped his fingers and a moment later a man with near black hair and piercing blue green eyes stood beside Lucifer, dressed in much the same way. 

 

“What vessel is this?” The angel asked as he ran his hands down his chest. 

 

“One I designed just for you. No longer will you fight with any of your brothers or sisters. This is the dawn of a new era. I have written new prophecies, and these will be fulfilled. You will help guide my most precious creations so they may give thanks and praise, but you will also help spread my word across the earth. The first prophet has been born. You will protect not only her, but her family, for she will bring peace to the world. My earthly scribe has been chosen. You three, along with the other archangels will guide him, help him with his gospel.” 

 

Chuck turned away from the three archangels and walked over to where Dean and Castiel were sitting. Castiel got on his knees and bowed his head respectfully. 

 

“Father, I had faith in your return. I'm so happy that you're here.”

 

“Even having fallen, you're still happy to see me?” Chuck asked. 

 

“Yes.” Castiel replied without hesitation. That clearly pleased his Father because Chuck smiled wide. 

 

“Stand up, son.”

 

Castiel got to his feet and when Chuck motioned for Dean to get up too, he scrambled to his feet. 

 

“Your unwavering loyalty and love are something I've never forgotten. You did not deserve what your brothers and sisters did to you. I'm proud of you. You proved that angels are capable of free will, but also of deep, meaningful love. You loved not just the Righteous Man, but humanity as a whole. You helped your brothers to see what I've tried to teach them for millennia.  _ You _ are my perfect angel."

 

Castiel was deeply humbled by his Father's words. He smiled wide. 

 

“Thank you, Father.”

 

“I want to return you to your rightful place in heaven. You will never again be shunned. I would like for you to run my battalions as I replenish the ranks. There will be no more fighting in heaven, peace shall reign. Instead, you will be in charge of teaching them how to care for humans, and guiding them.”

 

Castiel frowned. Why was he being told this? Chuck had restored Lucifer and Gabriel both without first telling them. He looked at Dean only to see sorrow in his eyes, such as nothing he'd seen before. He realized that returning to heaven, especially to take over leading the be angels meant he'd be torn away from his lover yet again. Why did it feel like returning to heaven was a punishment instead of a reward? 

 

“It's not, Castiel,” God knew his thoughts, just as he knew everything. “But I knew you'd have hesitations. As many lifetimes as you've had to be parted from the man you love, it's understandable as to why you'd hesitate to return to heaven. You've found the person you love and while I've been called a selfish, capricious God, I'm not the monster that the bible makes me out to be. If you want to remain here with Dean, I won't stop you. When your earthly lives have come to an end and you return to heaven, there will be a place by my throne for you both. You'll never be parted again.”

 

Castiel couldn't believe what he was hearing, his Father was allowing him to stay on earth with Dean? 

 

“Really? I can stay?”

 

Chuck smiled warmly. “Of course.”

 

He turned to look around the room at all of the faces looking back. Many were staring reverently up at him but if there was one thing he didn't see, it was skepticism. Every person in this room believed. 

 

His eyes fell on the dead woman again and he walked over to where her body laid. Crouching down, he touched her lightly. She gasped and slowly began pulling herself back to her feet. The Spanish lady Dean had spoken to earlier made the sign of the cross before pulling a rosary out of her pocket and kissing it. 

 

“As Lazarus rose from the dead, so shall you. Spread the word that I am watching, and the wicked shall be punished.” He told the newly risen woman. She stared wide eyed up at him and nodded. 

 

He stood up and walked over to Alistair’s lifeless corpse. With a snap of his fingers the body disappeared.

 

“Why isn't he bringing him back?” Dean whispered to Castiel. 

 

“Because his soul was black, full of sin. If he'd been brought back, he'd have continued his evil ways.” Castiel explained. “I may not have much of my grace left, but even I could see as I arrived just how unclean he was. There is no place here or in heaven for people like that.”

 

“He was into kiddie porn. And worse stuff.” Lucifer added. 

 

“You all will be my witnesses,” Chuck announced. “I am the one, true God, Creator of  _ everything. _ Hear my word, go forth into the world and spread the message. The prophet has been born this day. Mary of Lawrence will guide my people and you, as my witnesses will make sure they obey my word.When she speaks, you  _ will _ listen, for I will speak through her. The gospel of Samuel will soon be written and you will share it with the world. Do you understand?”

 

Everyone quickly agreed, no matter their denomination or previous beliefs. Now, all of them believed. 

 

“Samuel? As in my  _ brother _ Sam?” Dean whispered to Castiel. His angel smiled wide and nodded. “Holy…” The cop quickly snapped his mouth shut. The last thing he wanted to do was insult  _ God.  _

 

“Well, I think that covers everything. You, leave her body.” He waved his hand at Ruby and black smoke began pouring from her nose and mouth. It seemed to fall through the floor and disappear. The woman collapsed but Lucifer caught her before she hit the floor. Chuck turned to Asmodaeus, his expression completely serious. 

 

“Go, return to hell. You will rule for a 1,000 years, then the throne will be passed on. Don't try to cross me, you'll regret it.”

 

Asmodaeus didn't need to be told twice. He blinked and was gone. Chuck walked back to where Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer all stood.

 

“You three, return to heaven now, announce my arrival, Gabriel. Lucifer, we're not done talking. You're not yet forgiven.”

 

Lucifer winced but nodded. “Yes, Father.”

 

All three archangel seemed to blink out of existence as quickly as Asmodaeus had, the difference being that the rustle of wings could be heard upon their exit. 

 

“Alright, you're all free to go. Live well and make the most of the rest of your days.” And with that, Chuck disappeared too.

 

Slowly people began to stand up and shuffle towards the doors. Dean walked over to Andy to check on him. 

 

“Hey man, you ok?”

 

“I'm… I'm fine. I just saw  _ God _ , I'm better then ok! Wow!” The young cop shook his head in disbelief before looking curiously up at Dean. “Why did he call you the Righteous Man? What was that about?”

 

Dean chuckled, looking back on his past, it seemed almost surreal. 

 

“In another lifetime, I saved my brother from a fate he never should have been forced to agree to, and I was punished for it. Thing was, while I denied the angels their war, I did exactly what God asked of me. It left my soul, I guess clean would be the right term for it. In every lifetime I denied the angels, every angel except this one.” He reached back to capture Castiel’s hand and pull him closer. 

 

“You're one of them? An angel? For real?” Andy's eyes were huge and filled with awe. Castiel smiled and nodded. 

 

“Technically, yes. I'm earthbound until this body has aged and passes on, then I shall return to heaven with Dean. I'll have my wings back at that time. I'm fine with it though, it means I get a lifetime with the man I love.”

 

“Whoa...I can't wait to tell my wife!” Andy exclaimed. He practically ran for the doors. Dean brought a hand up to Castiel’s cheek and kissed him softly. 

 

“I love you, angel.”

 

The angel’s blue eyes shone brightly, love and the joy he felt in that moment. 

 

“You know, you've called me that in every life you've lived?”

 

“I always had faith you'd get your wings back one day, like Clarence in “It's a Wonderful Life". 

 

“I used to know a demon who called me Clarence. Now I understand the reference.” The angel mused as they started walking towards the doors. Dean laughed happily before planting a loud kiss on his cheek. Castiel smiled wide. 

 

“Let's go see your brother and his family.”

 

Dean's smile was wide as they stepped out into the afternoon light. “I can't wait.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you liked that ending. It's not really a cliffhanger, not when God and the angels gave them a sneak peek of their futures. Dean and Cas get to live out their lives together, and there will be a new prophet, hand chosen by God himself. I hope you liked the way the storyline ended up going. 
> 
> Thank you for reading. As always, comments and kudos are welcome. I love you guys.

**Author's Note:**

> I do hope you liked this chapter. Updates will probably only be once a week, but I do hope you enjoyed it! We're looking at 3 to 4 chapters at this point, possibly more. Comments and kudos are always welcome. :)


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